MOB VIOLENCE

Evening Star, Issue 25928, 21 October 1946, Page 7

MOB VIOLENCE

GOMXUML RIOTS IN EASTERN BENGAL TROOPS AND PLANES DESPATCHED LONDON, October 19. A thousand Indian troops, with reconnaissance planes, are cleaning up the Noakhali district of Eastern Bengal, says the Calcutta correspondent of the ‘ Daily Express.’ An official communique states that the riots are localised in a few districts. The president of the Noakhali IRelief Committee says that at least 100,000 persons are affected by the disturbances. A Royal Air Force plane dropped 100.000 leaflets over 200 square miles of the terrorised area containing a warning by the Moslem Bengal Premier, Dr Suhrawardy, that “dire consequences” would follow if the atrocities did not cease. HINDUS IN MINORITY. The correspondent says that,.in spite of the local government assurance that the communal situation in North-east-ern Bengal shows an improvement in the past 24 hours, unofficial reports indicate that acts of violence are continuing in the Noakhali and Tiippera districts on an alarming scale. Refugees say that unless the Government urgently despatches more troops and police the entire minority population will be wiped out. Both districts are predominantly Moslem' areas, with a population of 6,000,000, of which only 2,000,000 are Hindus. Police and military action has been confined to firing six times, and the casualties were 20 killed and 20 injured. The total casualties in the riots will perhaps never be known. There is grave anxiety in Calcutta over the inadequacy of the police and military forces despatched by the Government. Food is an urgent problem, as rail and river communications are dislocated, and, with trade completely at a standstill, thousands face starvation. An official communique issued at Bombay, reporting eight killed and six injured during the day, mostly as a result of stabbing attacks, adds: “The situation grew worse to-day. This set-back cannot be traced to any local causes. Events outside the province are apparently continuing to have repercussions here.” Another 1,000 evacuees from the Noakhali district have arrived at Calcutta. The evacuees said their villages had been attacked and houses burned and some women carried off. INTIMIDATION TACTICS.

The 'Bengal Press Advisory Committee released a letter from a Hindu correspondent at Noakhali stating: “All villages in this area have accepted Islam. A huge mob gave us an ultimatum to join Islam or be burnt.” A correspondent of the Moslem ‘Morning News,’ in a despatch from Noalkhali, says that the stories of mass conversion and abduction of women were entirely untrue and only intended to excite communal passions and oust Bengal’s Moslem League Ministry. The newspaper ‘ Statesman ’ says that about 150,000 people and 400 villages were affected by mob violence. It quotes its staff correspondent as saying that 10,000 left the interior, sheltering at Chandpur. The Governor of Bengal, Sir John Burrows, is visiting the disturbed areas of Eastern Bengal by air. A (Bombay message states that five were stabbed in the city between daybreak/find noon. Sixty-four of the 68 mills and many factories and shops were closed in response to an appeal by the provincial Congress leader for closure as a mark of sympathy for the East Bengal riots. Mr Gandhi, referring to the “tragic happenings ” in the Noakhali district, advised women running the risk of dishonour to take poison before submitting. He added that what hurt him very much was the fact that women were being carried away and converted to Islam. The Nehru party has returned to Peshawar after a tour of Waziristan. Sixteen were injured in a stone-throw-ing incident in one town, but none of the party was hurt. CASUALTIES EXAGGERATED. “ Later reports state that the situation in Noakhali district would seem to be under conrol,” says a statement issued by the Bengal Government. All the information in the provincial Government’s possession confirmed the view that fatal casualties had not been heavy. The Press reports of thousands killed appear to have no foundation. The casualties, for instance, at Chandpur were five or six, and of 10,000 refugees, only two or three were injured. The troops and police in the localised trouble areas were understood to be adequate to meet the situation at present, but additional troops would be available at the.shortest notice.