The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c8.s5.1

c8.s5.1

Having placed Debal under an Arab governor with a garrison of 4,000 troops, Muhammad proceeded towards Nirun, then an important town about 75 miles north-east of Debal and situated near Jarak, just south of the modern Hyderabad, and after seven days' march reached and captured the place early in 712 A.D. without any resistance as the Buddhists there, being in treacherous collusion with the enemy, gave him active assistance. Dahir once again failed to move and left the inhabitants to their fate. Flushed with success, the Arabs now marched rapidly to Sehwan, which, too, fell after a week's siege, its governor, Bajhra, a cousin of Dahir, having left the place owing to the pusillanimity of the principal men of the town, who, being traders and priests, did not like to fight. Then came the turn of Sisam on the Kumbh, which was lost by the Jats after two days' unequal fighting. From Sisam Muhammad returned towards Nirun in order to cross the Mihran, the main stream of the Indus, and to meet Dahir who was entrenched at Brahmanabad. He was detained for months on the western bank of the river owing to want of boats and to the breakout of scurvy which reduced the number of his horses. After he had received a reinforcement of 2,000 horses and medicine for the ailing animals from Hajjaj, he crossed over to the other side, along with his whole force without meeting much resistance.