THE MAD FAKIR

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 15

THE MAD FAKIR

INDIAN FRONTIER ENGAGEMENT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright DELHI, April 12. Tfie tribesmen, led by the Fakir of Alingarh, known as the “ Mad Fakir of the Frontier,” crossed the Swat River and made a determined suprise - 'night attack. The troops repulsed the tribesmen with machine guns and rifle fire.; The Mad Fakir for several months has been endeavouring to influence and to inflame the tribesmen of the Malokand area to revolt against British rule, but has been defeated in several earlier engagements.

BRITISH POLITICAL AGENT SHOT. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright , CALCUTTA, April 12. (Received April 13, at 10 a.m.) The turbulent North-west Frontier again claimed the life of a British official in the person of Mr Leslie William Hazlett Duncan Best, political agent in Malakarid, who was shot by tribesmen at Agra (Malatand). _ No details are available, but it is believed that the crime was committed by a fanatical Moslem follower of the Fakir of Alingarh.N KILLED IN FIGHT AGAINST TRIBESMEN. CALCUTTA, April 12. ('Received April 13, at 10.10 a.m.) It is _ revealed that Mr Best was killed in the operations yesterday against hostile tribesmen led by the Fakir of Alingarh. British and Indian troops of the Nowshera column attacked the raiders numbering 900 with the object of driving them back over the Swat River. ■ Royal Air Force planes bombed and _ machine-gunned the tribesmen’s positions, after which the troops occupied the village of Loe, in Agra, after a stubborn resistance, in which Mr Best was killed and several troopers injured.