CALCUTTA TENSION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21947, 15 February 1946, Page 3

CALCUTTA TENSION

DEATHROLL IN RIOTS MOUNTS

LOOTING AND FIRE-RAISING MOBS

TROOPS ALERT AT KEY POSITIONS

(11 a.m.) CALCUTTA, Feb. 14. The death-roll in the Calcutta riots is now 41, with 359 injured. Nineteen American soldiers were injured last night when a mob attacked a convoy of 75 lorries carrying troops to Calcutta, Liquor stocks were looted and furniture set on fire by a gang which raided a Calcutta night club last night. Thus far to-day no disturbances are reported. The Exchange Telegraph correspondent says that the police have already arrested 200, some of whom are hooligans who pretend to be students. Nineteen students are at present on a hunger strike as a protest against the police and military being used. Meanwhile, the atmosphere is tense. Troops with Lewis guns are stationed at crossroads and other key positions.

Church Set On Fire

The police and troops were forced to open fire 12 times yesterday. Only white troops were called out to check the disturbances. No Indian troops are being used. A mob last night set fire to the Methodist Church in Bharnatilla street, one of Calcutta’s busiest and most congested areas. The telephone system was dislocated as a result of the disturbances. Only 30 of the 500 British and Indian girl operators arrived for work yesterday. The remainder were unable to get to work.

article says: “Murder is now the order of the day under the accursed rule of the Government of India and its representative in Calcutta. Mr. Richard Casey.”

The Congress Party and the Moslem League combined in the Legislative Assembly at New Delhi to pass a vote of censure on the Government because the New Delhi police on Tuesday handcuffed and chained 37 Moslem League and Communist Party members. The Secretary of External Affairs, Mr. H. Weightman. announced in the General Assembly that six persons had been detained “for reasons of State.’* He added that those detained were all connected with previous dynasties in Afghanistan and had been implicated in efforts to subvert a neighbouring friendly Government. Sir Frederick Burrows, Governordesignate of Bengal, who was due to reach Calcutta to-day, postponed hia arrival owing to the unsettled conditions.

Mill workers who demonstrated at Kankinara burned down the railway station and three trains which were held up on the track. The passengers were forced to get out, after which the carriages were set on fire.

The Moslem League's newspaper in Calcutta called the Morning News printed accounts of a disturbance on the front page under the heading: “Murder, murder—nothing but murder!” The