History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c79.s2.4

v5.c79.s2.4

Pidia's robberies in the Kulbarga district became too serious to be neglected any longer. At last, on 27th May 1691 the Emperor sent his son Kam Bakhsh from Bijapur, in charge of Bahramand Khan, to attack Wagingera. Three weeks later, another high commander Hamid-ud-din Khan, was deputed to the Sagar district, evidently to keep in check the roving field armies of the Berads. Kam Bakhsh spent only two months before Wagingera, during which he dug trenches, mounted guns, and fought almost daily conflicts with the enemy. On 20th July he was sent off to the Madras Karnatak, and the operations against the Berads were entrusted to Ruhullah Khan. [M. A. 339-40, 344, 354-55 ; Dil. ii. 102b]. The latter "could not achieve the task : the Berads twice fell on his entrenchment and destroyed it ; many on the Mughal side were slain, including the celebrated Ranmast Khan.* So Ruhullah Khan opened negotiations with the enemy." This was exactly what Pidia was seeking. It was not in his interests to carry the contest to an extreme. He bribed Ruhullah and lulled him into inactivity. [*Dil.* ii. 103a; *M.A.* 491.]