In October 1947, hordes of militant Pathan tribal warriors from Pakistan stormed into Maharaja Hari Singh’s Jammu and Kashmir. A few days later the king sought protection from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and signed an instrument of accession with India. Nehru visited Srinagar the following month to take stock of the situation. #tbt
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00:00Only a few days previously, Pundit Nehru was receiving a tremendous reception in Kashmir
00:05when he arrived at the capital, Srinagar, now relieved by Dominion troops.
00:09Other towns like Baramulla, to the northwest, had a very different story to tell.
00:20Looting and burning by rebel bands had taken a very heavy toll.
00:24Also left in ruins was St. Joseph's convent, where a British colonel, his wife and four
00:28nuns had been murdered not long before.
00:33Captured tribesmen, one wearing an old RAF jacket, were closely questioned, though most
00:37of their comrades preferred death to capture.
00:44Back in the capital, Pundit Nehru holds a conference with the Maharaja, who first sought
00:48India's aid.
00:51Kashmir's large Muslim population remains a powerful factor to be reckoned with, but
00:55in the meantime, the relief of Srinagar appears to be a personal triumph for India's premier.