▁route ▁from ▁K oda ik anal ▁along ▁the ▁southern ▁cr est ▁of ▁the ▁Pal ani ▁Hills ▁to ▁Top ▁Station . ▁Ex isting ▁roads ▁then ▁continued ▁to ▁M unn ar ▁and ▁down ▁to ▁C och in ▁where ▁British ▁ships ▁would ▁be ▁available ▁for ▁ev acu ation ▁out ▁of ▁India . ▁ ▁Japanese ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁And aman ▁and ▁Nic obar ▁Islands ▁ ▁The ▁And aman ▁and ▁Nic obar ▁Islands ▁( 8 , 2 9 3   km ² ▁on ▁ 1 3 9 ▁islands ) ▁are ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁islands ▁situated ▁in ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Beng al ▁at ▁about ▁ 7 8 0 ▁miles ▁from ▁Kol k ata ▁( known ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁as ▁Cal cut ta ), ▁ 7 4 0 ▁miles ▁from ▁Chen na i ▁( known ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁as ▁Mad ras ) ▁and ▁ 1 2 0 ▁miles ▁from ▁Cape ▁N arg is ▁in ▁Bur ma . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁a ▁Japanese ▁invasion ▁force ▁seized ▁the ▁islands ▁and ▁occupied ▁them ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁political ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁islands ▁was ▁theoret ically ▁passed ▁to ▁the ▁Az ad ▁H ind ▁government ▁of ▁Sub has ▁Ch andra ▁B ose . ▁B ose ▁visited ▁Port ▁Bla ir ▁to ▁raise ▁the ▁tr icol our ▁flag ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁National ▁Army . ▁After ▁B ose ' s ▁departure ▁the ▁Japanese ▁remained ▁in ▁effective ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁And am ans , ▁and ▁the ▁so