INDIAN DEMONSTRATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1945, Page 6

INDIAN DEMONSTRATIONS

MANY CASUALTIES LONDON, November 22. A Reuter correspondent at Calcutta says: Police made a baton charge in Calcutta to disperse demonstrations in support of the Indian National Army, which is pro-Japanese. After the charge the police opened fire on the demonstrators. Fifty-three persons were then sent to hospital. One person died in hospital. Twelve were arrested. ALL-NIGHT SQUAT. CALCUTTA. November 22. The police opened fire twice at five-minute intervals to-day when a large crowd again demonstrated in Dharamtolla Street. Three people were injured. All public transport ceased when the demonstrators dragged occupants from trams, buses, and rickshaws. Shops in the. main business sections closed. One thousand students demonstrating in favour of the Indian National Army, who squatted all night in the road because the police forbade their procession and march to the Government offices, agreed to change the route after personal appeals by Mr. Casey (Governor) and Chandra Bose’s brother. The crowd dispersed yesterday after the police opened fire, but reassembled later and spent the night in the middle on the road, warming themselves with paper bonfires. Mr. Casey visited the scene and approached the fringe of the squatting crowd, who were still shouting slogans, and asked them to go home. The Mayor of Calcutta demanded an inquiry into the shooting yesterday, when two were killed and 60 wounded. He described the police action as unwarranted, unjustifiable and cowardly. TROUBLE EXTENDING. (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) CALCUTTA, November 22. ' After day-long disturbances, in which five were killed and 86 injured, a crowd estimated at 100,000 formed up and filed past Government House, shouting: “Quit India, quit Asia.” The rioters set fire to 12 military lorries and beat up some of the occupants. The military authorities announced that force would be used to protect the lives of the drivers. It is reported from Bombay that the Students’ Union called for a strike and announced their intention of parading the streets.