PANIC IN LAHORE

Northern Advocate, 17 May 1947, Page 5

PANIC IN LAHORE

(Rec. 1.5 p.m.) NEW DELHI, May 16. Panic spread in the walled city of Lahore as the third day of communal fighting grew fiercer every hour. Smoke from a burning temple and the blazing bullion and silk markets made a dense column visible for many miles. Houses, shops and the clothing bazaar are reported to have been set alight. In 12 parts of the city centuries-old buildings are creaking and cracking in the flames. Tension is reported to be increasing at Tank, where, after a- temple and house were set alight, the curfew was extended for another 24 hours. An eye-witness said a crude bomb which exploded in the centre of Poona yesterday appeared to slip from the hands of a cyclist. Three pedestrians were injured.

Rioting broke out at Calcutta 24 hours after the Government had announced it was issuing no more communiques because the situation had improved. One was killed when the police fired on rioters in Calcutta's slum area. A stoning battle broke out between Hindus and Moslems at a street crossing in central Calcutta after a lorry driven by a Moslem knocked down a Hindu. Bengal’s Moslem League Premier (Mr Suhrawaddy) after returning from consultations with the Viceroy (Viscount Mountbatten) and Mr Jinnah, said: “We shall take all constitutional steps to save Bengal from partition.” Veiled Moslem League women today seized the telephone exchange at Peshawar, turned out the operators, and hoisted the Moslem League flag over the building, then scribbled Moslem League slogans over the walls. Eighteen were killed and 46 seriously injured in communal rioting in Lahore today. Twenty suffered minor injuries.