, ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁was ▁hast ily ▁re construct ed ▁and ▁under ▁the ▁IV ▁Corps , ▁assigned ▁to ▁defend ▁fall back ▁positions ▁along ▁the ▁Se ▁La - S en ge - D h ir ang ▁axis ▁in ▁Ar un ach al ▁Pr adesh . ▁This ▁would ▁allow ▁the ▁Army ▁to ▁fight ▁an ▁inten se ▁def ensive ▁campaign ▁and ▁make ▁it ▁difficult ▁for ▁the ▁Chinese ▁army ▁to ▁sust ain ▁operations . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁November , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁forces ▁launched ▁a ▁general ▁off ensive ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁se ctors ▁along ▁the ▁front , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁an ▁Indian ▁brig ade ▁at ▁Wal ong . ▁IV ▁Corps ▁commander ▁Lieutenant - General ▁B rij ▁Moh an ▁Ka ul ▁had ▁left ▁his ▁headquarters ▁for ▁Wal ong ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁November , ▁only ▁depart ing ▁with ▁his ▁surv iving ▁troops ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁November . ▁In ▁Ka ul ' s ▁absence , ▁Path ania ▁pan icked ▁and ▁contact ed ▁the ▁Corps ▁H Q ▁request ing ▁permission ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁his ▁positions ▁at ▁the ▁S ela ▁Pass . ▁Despite ▁Ka ul ' s ▁staff ▁issu ing ▁a ▁clear ▁order ▁to ▁Path ania ▁forb idd ing ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁Se - la , ▁Path ania ▁continued ▁to ▁persist ▁for ▁an ▁immediate ▁withdraw al ▁and ▁spoke ▁to ▁Ka ul ▁after ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁IV ▁Corps ▁H Q . ▁In ▁response , ▁according ▁to ▁Ka ul ' s ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁A . ▁M . ▁V oh ra , ▁Ka ul ▁issued ▁ambigu