RIOTING IN BOMBAY

Evening Star, Issue 25701, 26 January 1946, Page 8

RIOTING IN BOMBAY

RENEWED VIOLENCE AND LOOTING POLICE IMPOSE CURFEW <Rec. 8 a.m.) BOMBAY, Jan. 24.' New disturbances in Bombay were quickly followed by the imposition of the curfew in all riot areas from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Th« curfew, announced by the Bombay Police Commissioner, will operate to-night. Tension throughout the city, which has been unrelieved for more than two days, broke out into violence shortly before noon, when crowds, smashed their way into a number of shops; including a grain store, near the European business and residential quarter. The mobs looted, the stocks, threw heavy articles into the street, and set them on fire. A bonfire wa» built up and the flames fed with logs. Black-coated passers-by were forced to hand over their hats and ties, which were thrown into the fires. The police fired on the crowd, and used tear:gas to clear the roads. '< r Later it was reported that three other grain shops in the same area had been looted. The crowds tried to build up road blocks, and traffic was still held up after the crowds had. dispersed. The police pickets were strengthened. Stone-throwing .incidents» are< reported from the industrial area in northern Bombay. Eight mills closed down, and three are working with, reduced staffs. The police arrested eight persons for looting a wine shop. The police state.that 18 were killed in the rioting and 72. wounded for the 24 hours ended 10 a.m. s Twenty-one policemen were injured in the '24 hours. , :. '. The official report added that the rioting was complicated by "- hooligau elements exploiting the situation for the purposes of looting."