Chapter 205: Fall of Baloch Part-3
The Mughal army, though brutally barbaric, excelled in tactical brilliance when it came to group coordination and skillful execution on the battlefield, regardless of terrain challenges.
As most of the balochi townsfolk had escaped into the nearby hill to survive their assault, the two-thousand-strong band of troops was categorically split into 10-man groups, with each contingent led by a squad leader.
Since the hill was located on the southern side of the northwestern side of the town, along the lines of the river, Faujdar Farhan decided to keep 200 soldiers at the river bay on the northern end in case they tried to flee through a river crossing and started their pursuit of the fleeing townsfolk from the eastern direction.
Meanwhile, his comrade Amin started the pursuit of the chain of hills from the southern side. The fate of the townsfolk was doomed to fall as per their plan, as another comrade, Faujdar Tausif, would be leading his band from the western direction.
However, what they didn’t foresee was the balochis taking refuge in the caves hidden within the hills. These caves, along with the sentries posted nearby, turned the rugged terrain into a formidable defensive position, turning what they thought would be an easy pursuit into something akin to a fortress siege.
Back on the hill, the townsfolk sought refuge in the caves. The forested hill housed a cluster of natural caves, some of which had man-made tunnels dug long ago for defense during tribal wars. But this time, with so many balochi villagers, most of the able-bodied men had to stay outside, taking up arms to defend the caves. Armed with whatever weapons they had, they stood guard, determined to protect their families and ensure they all survived another day.
However, not everyone felt confident about the arrangement. Some refugees from other settlements, including a village chief named Imran, decided to leave under the cover of night. Imran approached Mehrab, the leader in charge of the defense, expressing his concerns.
"Chief, we don’t feel safe here. The caves are crowded, and if the Mughals come, we’re trapped. We’d rather take our chances now when its still dark."
Despite the tension among the onlookers, Mehrab, being a seasoned leader responded calmly by placing his hand on Imran’s shoulder. "I understand, Imran, but I can’t risk everyone who’s gathered here. You’ll still be vulnerable in the open, but may Allah guide you."
Imran gathered around 150 of his villagers and left the caves, but it turned out to be a grave mistake. At the riverbank, they were ambushed by Mughal soldiers.
"Look who we have here," a Bakshi-ranked soldier sneered as he unsheathed his sword. His contingent of 50 soldiers, who happened to spot them while patrolling the riverbank, advanced menacingly. They looked more like thugs than professional soldiers.
"Sorry, village chief, but I can’t stay here," one of the villagers muttered, retreating toward the cover of the forest. A few others followed, regret and fear in their eyes.