Operation Polo: The five-day-long police action that integrated Hyderabad

Hyderabad was under the rule of the Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The Nizam delayed acceding to India, and as violence spread across the state, the Indian Army marched in

From September 17, Hyderabad will celebrate its 75 years of liberation in a year-long celebration. The celebrations will mark the 75 years of "Operation Polo" that integrated and merged the earlier princely state with India.

What was the "Operation Polo"?

Before 1947, all the princely states in India were governed by their rulers, but they were under a subsidiary alliance system with the Britishers. The Britishers controlled the external affairs of the princely states.

During the independence of India in 1947, the British signed the Indian Independence Act 1947, abandoning the subsidiary alliances and leaving the princely states on their own. They could join India or Pakistan or choose to stay independent.

Hyderabad was under the rule of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan. He presided over a predominantly Hindu population and chose to stay independent. 

By September 1948, almost all the princely states had decided to either join India or Pakistan. Hyderabad had chosen to stay independent. Things were made more complicated by the presence of a paramilitary force called the Razakars in Hyderabad, besides a communist rebellion in the rural Telangana region. The Razakars were led by Qasim Rizvi, and wanted to maintain Muslim rule over the state. As they started committing atrocities in the state, the Indian Army marched in. This was referred to as Police action.

According to a report by The Hindu, there were rumours that Hyderabad was arming itself to support from the Portuguese administration in Goa and Pakistan. It led to communal clashes and added to tensions.

Goa was still under the control of the Portuguese, and India did not want Hyderabad to align with Pakistan.

On September 13, 1948, launched "Operation Polo", also called "Operation Caterpillar '' to liberate Hyderabad. Then home minister Vallabbhai Patel described the idea of independent Hyderabad as "an ulcer in the heart of India which needed to be removed surgically".

In a war that lasted for five days, the Indian Army took over the powerful state of Hyderabad. Over 36,000 troops entered Hyderabad. Around 32 were killed and 97 injured on the Indian side. In Hyderabad, 490 were killed and 122 wounded.

Finally, on September 17, 1948, nearly 13 months after India gained independence, the people and the state of Hyderabad were integrated with India. At 5 PM, the Nizam ordered a ceasefire and signed the instrument of accession with the government of India. It has been a part of India since.

The Indian Army stayed in Hyderabad till 1951, when the Communist Party of India ended the rebellion and chose to join mainstream politics.