Indian Minister’s Car Thumped

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 21

Indian Minister’s Car Thumped

» (N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LUCKNOW (Northernlndia), May 25.

About 200 angry women imprisoned a State minister in his car for two hours yesterday and fought a pitched battle using their teeth and nails against women “Home Guard” volunteers who tried to free him.

Thirty women—lB Home Guards and 12 demonstrators —were injured in the clash. The demonstrators were female employees of the Uttar Pradesh Government protesting against the state Government’s decision to reduce staff. An official statement said the 200 women surrounded the car of the Revenue Minister, Mr Udit Narain Sharma, and began thumping it When the driver got out he was beaten by the women, who tore his shirt to pieces. The Minister remained shut Inside the car in suffocating heat for two hours with the windows and doors closed,

while the women—some with babies in their arms—jostled and shouted outside. When the women “Home Guards” tried to reach the car the'demonstrators started beating and biting them. "They tore their clothes, pulled their hair and bit them,” the Government statement said. Eventually the Minister was freed and a number of demonstrators arrested. Earlier some women picketed the house of Chief Minister Charan Singh to try to stop him leaving for his office, but he managed to escape by car.