Slaughter Of Refugees Continues In India

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 September 1947, Page 7

Slaughter Of Refugees Continues In India

(Recd. 11.20 a.m.) NEW DELHI, September 25. Several thousand Moslems attacked a Sikh and Hindu refugee train at Kamoke, about 25 miles west of Lahore, yesterday and killed about 340 Sikhs and Hindus and wounded 250, says an announcement by the West Punjab Government. The troops escorting the train killed 78 of the attackers and wounded a similar number. The Moslems attacked from the rear and forced their way into the last four carriages. The attack lasted forty minutes. Then the train returned to Gujranvyala, where the wounded were admitted to hospital.

A Pakistan communique issued today states: “Details of the attack on the Moslem evacuee train near Amritsar show that the train carried 4500 Moslems from Alwar. There appear to have been about 1000 wounded, which leaves over 3000 killed.

“When the train was attacked the British officer in command of the escort, which consisted of 13 .Hindus and eight Moslems, belonging to the Royal Indian Army, began organising defence. He was at once killed by a burst from automatic weapons. The Hindus in the escort are reported to have surrendered. The eight Moslems died fighting. The Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (described as a militant Hindu youth organisation) and Sikhs made the attack, which lasted apparenty without interruption for- two hours.” British Officers Defended

The Indian Prime Minister’s secretariat, replying to criticism of British officers cf the former Punjab Boundary Force by Pandit Hridya Nath Kunzru, a member of the Constituent Assembly, said: “The army had to face a difficult situation. The officers and other ranks worked under great difficulties because of the division of the army.” Pandit Kunzru said yesterday that if the Boundary Force had acted impartially the refugee situation could have been brought under control, but they must bear the discredit for the failure and the catastrophe.

The Indian communique regretted I hmt charges were made against the British officers, “who'as a rule discharged their duty to the best of their ability. The Government must express'appreciation of their work.” Reuters says it is feared that Pandit Kunzru’s charges will incite violence against the British in India. 1,500,000 on Move An Indian army communique states that over 1,500,000 Moslems and nonMoslems were foot slogging to the East and the ..West Punjab. During the last 10 days 450,000 Moslems have been sent to Pakistan and 150,000 Hindus and Sikhs have crossed into India. There are 850,000 Moslem refugees in the East Punjab . and an equal number of Hindus and Sikhs on the move in the West Punjab. Giving them ample protection was out of the question, said an army spokesman. Fifty thousand Moslem refugees were inoculated in one cmrm at Delhi because of suspected cholera. Another British officer was killed today in defending a refugee train at Ambala. Sixteen Moslems were killed when United Provinces police drove off 1000 Moslems attacking the village of Sari. Four were, killed and two injured at Ambala, when the police opened fire on a mob looting fodder. Another British officer was severely wounded in enforcing the curfew at Amritsar.