पानीपत १७६१ (मराठा साम्राज्य एवं पानीपत महायुद्ध इतिहास)

SUKARTAL, BURADI AND AFTER 21
Dattaji's removing his camp from Sukartal Sabaji actually reached Dat-
taji's camp on 10th November, 1759, but the news of his coming back was
circulated a month earlier so as to loosen Dattaji's grip over Sukartal Abdali
was still near Lahore and his troops had not penetrated up to Thaneshwar till
the last week of December, but Ghazi ud din, who was chicken hearted, was
frightened when he caught certain news carriers carrying letters to and from
the Emperor Alamgir at Delhi Therein the Emperor was found writing in
vitations to Shuja ud daulah on the one hand and Ahmad Shah Abdali on the
other, and they were assuring him of their imminent arrival Seeing the danger,
the Wazir, who was quick in decision and had no qualms of conscience, got
the Emperor and Intizam ud daulah (his rival for Wazirship) murdered on
November 29, 1759, through Balabash Khan, his captain, and unceremoniously
flung their corpses on the river bank Next, the Wazir's assistants produced a
prince from the house of Taimur and crowned him as Emperor under the
title of Shah Jahan III This prince was a grandson of Kam Bakhsh,⁷ the
youngest son of Aurangzib, and was dragging his life out in the imperial prison
Thus the Wazir thought that he had taken precautions against Abdali's making
use of the old Emperor and his possible Wazir As a matter of fact, this
event sent a thrill of horror through the Muslims of Hindusthan and the Wazir,
who was already hated as a tool of the Marathas, lost what little respect was
still felt for him As the Marathas did not seem to have protested against this
act, they were naturally held morally responsible for this butchery It took
away the sympathy for the Marathas and had a worse effect on Sadashivrao
Bhau's campaign the following year
Dattaji being thoroughly disappointed at the siege and at the negotia-
tions for tribute and help from Shuja ud daulah, ultimately raised the siege
on 15th December and divided his army into two parts He placed the camp,
the bazar and their inmates, together with his family, under the charge of
Rupram Kothari and asked him to go back to Delhi with his Jat troops He
himself with his select troops proceeded to meet Abdali beyond the Jamuna so
as to stop him from entering the Doab and joining Najib He had perhaps
twenty five thousand chosen horsemen under him He proceeded to Karnal by
crossing the Jamuna south of Kunjpura at the Andhera Ghat on 18th Decem
ber, 1759, and sent scouts to find out Abdali's movements He learnt that
Abdali s son, Taimur Shah, with forty thousand troops and all his Sardars had
arrived north of Ambala and were camping at Laldu, Banora and Chhat⁸ on
Saturday, the 15th of December, and that Ahmad Shah was himself following
The first skirmish between the vanguards of the two armies took place on 20th
December Dattaji himself proceeded north with his chosen twenty five thou
sand troops without any camp equipment, carrying only as much luggage as
a soldier could carry on his horse He had ordered Janakoji Shinde and the
Wazir Ghazi ud din to remain at Karnal some fifteen miles behind his ad-
vance line, with their parks of artillery, in order to check any surprise party of
the Durrani troops proceeding south to attack the main camp and the bazar,
⁷ Ibid. 2 107
⁸ Ibid 2.109