DISTURBANCES IN INDIA

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24799, 13 February 1946, Page 7

DISTURBANCES IN INDIA

Calcutta, Bombay, New Delhi

MOSLEM PROTEST

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 1 a.m.) CALCUTTA, Feb. 12. The police arrested several students when 500 paraded in Calcutta demonstrating against the sentence passed on a member of the Indian National Army, Captain Abdul Rashid, whose sentence of transportation for life was commuted to seven years’ imprisonment by General Sir Claude Auchinleck. The Moslem League organised the demonstration. , A similar demonstration for the same reason was staged in New Delhi by 2000 Moslems who roughly handled a party of British soldiers and some British civilians. Three British civilians were knocked off their bicycles and pelted with stones. The demonstrators stopped several military lorries. All Moslem shops closed. The Secretary for War (Mr Phillip Mason) told the Indian Central Assembly that the Government was conscious that a wave l of emotion was sweeping the country. The Government had decided to show clemency to all members of the Indian National Army unless they had committed brutalities. He was speaking on a resolution by Pandit Malayiya, asking for the release of all members of the A s my afld the abanof their trial. .. 1116 police late last night three on , niobs in Cafeutta. In the ° nS las l ing all day against Si u®J P assed on Captain Abdul Rashid, mobs burnt 13 military lorries in ° ne p e j son was killed and wounds d ’ lnclud ““g W with bullet

Tension Increases Ad i2f 10n thr 9 u g h °ut Calcutta mountea this morning as crowds gathered firA S Y^ eral E?J nts ston ed and set on mXn ? e vehicles. The police were forced to used tear-gas to disperse the demonstrators. and bus services are suspended Many shops in north an d central Calcutta are closed. o 3^ p « llce are . r «Ported to have a £ ains t a crowd who erected crude barricades in the BhowthT°™ a J ea ’ ? n southern Calcutta. The crowd refused to disperse and stoned the police. Four were killed and 1 1 wounded before noon by shooting m the Bhowanipore area. In other parts of Calcutta more vehicles, five of which were American were set on fire. British military pohee and American “Snowdrops” are patrolling the streets with tommyguns.

Calcutta was to-day placed out of bounds for American troops, three of wb om were slightly injured yesterday. The Moslem League has sent a messsge to General Auchlinleck, demanding the release of Captain Rashid. The Associated Press correspondent in Bombay says that all traffic was paralysed by Moslem crowds demonstrating against the sentence passed on Captain Rashid. The crowds yelled slogans demanding his immediate release. They forced all vehicles to halt and compelled the passengers to get out and walk.