Gaol Full Of Police

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31346, 17 April 1967, Page 13

Gaol Full Of Police

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI, April 16.

New Delhi gaol was today full of police after a two-day demonstration outside the house of the Home Minister, Mr Yashwantrao Chavan ended in the mass arrest of 657 striking constables.

Two battalions of troops and two battalions of police from outside Delhi—totalling about 4000—were drafted into the capital to help keep order as 4000 policemen in civilian clothes squatted on the road outside Mr Chavan’s bungalow demanding the reinstatement of seven dismis-

sed police union leaden and acceptance of their demands for better pay and housing. After Mr Chavan had unsuccessfully appealed for them to return to duty a tense situation developel as men of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in battledress and armed with automatic weapons took positions near the house. i

Many police demonstrators left the scene quietly, but 700 remained shouting “Down with Chavan,” and “Justice for the Police.”

A thousand police of the central reserve and border security forces then moved in and flung a cordon round the yelling demonstrators.

Trouble in the New Delhi police force has been simmering for more than 10 years, and came into the open last year when they tried to form a trade union.

In November a bill was passed barring them from belonging to a trade union, although they succeeded in gaining recognition of a welfare association.

One of the lorries carrying the arrested men to gaol overturned, killing one of the prisoners and a member of the security forces. Eighteen policemen and two members of the border security force were injured in the crash. Tonight the Indian Army was stationed at key points in the city. The Indian Army also stood guard over the President’s palace and the residence of the Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, after the arrest of the striking policemen.