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on an elevated plain. The road from Chechthang passed on the right bank of the river after crossing it near the said place; for due to the junction of the Indus and the Suru River, there was no way on the left bank. Thus the Balti forces had occupied a strategic position. This place where the Balti army had encamped, is still known as ‘Thano-Ghoni-Thang’ or the battle-field.

The Skardu forces constructed check posts and trenches and the Wanko pass was also blocked. Wazir Zorawar Singh’s advance now became impossible for he faced two difficulties, namely the river and the enemy. Although it was the winter season but the river had not frozen completely. It was also impossible to construct a bridge in face of enemy bullets.

On night Mehta Basti Ram along with some soldiers was charges with the task of recognizing the river to find out if not frozen from bank to bank, it was not possible to do so. In the meantime the Dard people of Garkono village suggested to the Dogras that logs should be placed in the portion which was not frozen. The floes floating in the river would stick to the logs and the river would freeze during the night time. In pursuance of this suggestion a site was selected, above the Indus, just below Wankowa pass, where Wazir Ghulam Hassan with a large force had camped. At this place the major portion of the river on both sides had become frozen and there was only a small portion that had not frozen. In the darkness of night a number of logs were placed across the unfrozen portion. It is related that Raja Ali Sher Khan of Kartaksha had been in secret correspondence with the Wazir at Chechethang. Although his forces had been dispatched to Hamoghni Thang with the Balti Army against the wazir, but he had pledged to help the Wazir. In the construction of this bridge, he had a hand also. About the site of the bridge and the time at which the scheme was to be implemented had been agreed upon through secret correspondence between him and Zorawar Singh. At the appointed time the Dard people on the Chechethang side and Raja Ali Sher Khan’s men on the Marol side placed logs across the river over the unfrozen portions. The floes that floated down the river during the winter night, on touching the logs started forming a sheet of ice due to cold. Thus the river became passable. Before down Mehta Basti Ram along with a contingent of soldiers crossed the Indus.

It is related that the making of the so called bridge and the crossing of the river were carried out so secretly that the Baltis had no information whatsoever till the forces under Mehta Basti Ram reached the pickets at the Wanko Pass. The Baltis were taken by surprise by the appearance of the Dogra forces. Hand to hand fighting took place in which the Baltis displayed great courage