Kenya Bandits Kill Woman And Children

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29153, 14 March 1960, Page 11

Kenya Bandits Kill Woman And Children

NAIROBI, March 12.

An Asian woman and two of her three children were slashed to death near Nyeri, in the Kenya highlands, last night by a gang armed with pangas—large knives used for cane cutting.

The third child, although badly mutilated, is expected to live. The father of the family, an Asian trader, Pyaralal Melaram. was taking his family for an evening drive just outside Nyeri. about 90 miles from Nairobi.

He told police they were driving slowly looking at the scenery and watching for game when one of three Africans at the roadside stepped in front of the car. forcing him to stop.

As he did so the African demanded money, at the same time swinging a panga and shattering the windscreen. Melaram told police he got out of the car and the African slashed him across his arm. Melaram said his wife and three children were Shrieking but he ran away into the bush.

He returned about half an hour later to find his wife and one child in the road dead, each with one hand severed. Another child lay dead inside the car and a third was badly slashed but still alive.

Detectives and tracker dog teams are searching the area today.

Another violent crime involving a panga gang was reported from Endebess, near the Uganda border, about 250 miles from Nyeri.

Three Africans armed with pangas last night broke into the farmhouse of a European, Mr P. Hernon, who is deaf.

He struggled with them and wrested a panga from one of the gang, but was cut across the forehead.

The men fled. Mr Hernon was allowed to leave hospital after treatment.