On 20 November 1971, Indian troops of the 14th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment with 14 supporting PT-76 tanks from the 45 Cavalry moved in to capture the areas around Garibpur in Pakistani territory.

[9] After months of internal tensions in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and a clampdown on Bengali nationalists, the independence forces had coalesced into the combined Mukti Bahini.

After initial success by Pakistani troops against the Mukti Bahini, there had been some relative calm in the region, and further Indian assistance was sought to turn the tide.

The Boyra salient, in north-western East Pakistan, consisted of Garibpur and was at an important crossroads for both nations.

Assisting him would be the 102nd Engineer Regiment and "C" Squadron, 45 Cavalry under Major Daljit "Chiefy" Singh Narang.

Singh of C Squadron, along with a small section of dismounted infantry, was on patrol north of the Indian positions at Garibpur just after midnight.

[2] After Singh had confirmed the number of vehicles and the direction of approach, Major Daljit "Chiefy" Singh Narang, left behind the infantry of 14 Punjab and some recoilless rifles in a defensive position, and ordered his squadron forward into a horseshoe formation to ambush the Pakistani column.

14 Squadron flew in to provide close air support and hit the Indian positions by using machine guns and rocket fire.