HYDERABAD [DECCAN]: The Hyderabad forces are now on the offensive for the first time in the 60 hours since India`s war on the state began. The Hyderabad State Forces have made a desperate bid to link up with Goa. The State Forces early this morning [Sept15]brokethroughapointBannikoppa, 30 miles north-west of Hospet and are heading towards Gadag, a point 20 miles from the Hyderabad border in the Indian territory.

The State Forces are meeting no very stiff resistance and they are already in sight of the important railway junction of Gadag. ...

At Hospet 2,000 Razakars armed with machine-guns ... are keeping at bay half a division of the Indian troops.

The Nizam`s anti-aircraft guns went into action for the first time when the RIAF [Royal Indian Air Force] aircraft bombarded Bidar and Adilbad airfields... . The Mamnoor airfield of Warrangal was bombed for the second time today. The Indian aircraft dropped five bombs. Two persons were killed. Heavy casualties are feared in the very severe fighting between Indian troops and the State Forces in Aurangabad district. News agencies