Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c8.s3.25

v1.c8.s3.25

Bhāskar fled by way of Pachet; his scattered detachments also vacated Bardwān, Hughli, Hijli and other places. But the jungle hindered the Bengal troops in pursuing him. Bhāskar then turned south and moving by way of Chandrakonā raised his head in the Medinipur district, where he looted and burnt Rādhānagar and other large places, making Nārāyangarh his base. Thence he sent a detachment to Katak, which captured that town after defeating and slaying its governor, Shaikh Masum, at Jājpur. On hearing of this development, Alivardi turned aside from Pachet towards Medinipur. The Marāthas immediately retreated towards Balesar. They turned back and attacked the Nawāb when he was four miles from Medinipur, but were routed by him. Thereafter they never again stood up to a fight, but were incessantly pursued and driven back beyond the Chilkā lake into the Deccan (December, 1742.) Bengal and Orissā were thus at last totally freed from the raiders. Then the Nawāb halted at Katak for a few weeks to restore its government, and returned to Murshidābād in triumph about 9th February, 1743.