Pashtun tribesmen captured by Indian Army, Kashmir, November 1947

 

November 9, 1947: A Pashtun tribesman with his hands tied behind his back after he was captured near Baramulla in Kashmir. Photo by Max Desfor. 

The three captured Afridi Pashtuns were paraded and exhibited on streets of Srinagar. They were mounted on top of a truck. Kashmiris threw chappals at them, abused them and spit at them. They were also put on display to inform and entertain politicians and journalists, as can be seen in this video. One of them is wearing blue British Royal Air Force uniform which he might have looted from a British soldier he killed at some point in his past. 

These tribesmen had fought an intense battle with regular Indian Army (supported by aircrafts, armored cars, artillery etc.) with just rifles on 7th November in the outskirts of Srinagar and got defeated. They had been trying very hard to capture Srinagar since 27th October 1947 with no support from local Kashmiris. After the defeat, Pashtuns realized that they cannot defeat regular Indian Army in open plain area of Srinagar with their rudimentary weapons, so they fled. The three Pashtuns in the video could not get on lorries and were left behind. They were captured by Indian Army who were chasing them after the battle.