TERROR OF THE DACOIT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11293, 19 August 1922, Page 9

TERROR OF THE DACOIT

ALARMING SPREAD OF CRIME IN INDIA. CALCUTTA, June 27. Dacoi ts (“hold-up” men) are terrorising India. Whole districts seem to be in the power of gangs of desperate men who plunder and murder with growing audacity. The police appear to be powerless, even in the big. cities. Calcutta, with a police force several thousand strong, has recently experienced eeven desperate crimes, involving the loss of five lives. The dacoits go about armed to the teoth, and they have no compunction particularly in the outlying areas, in boldly battering a way into houses, and murdering tho inmates before clearing off with loot. In Bengal during the past few months over 500 daooits have ocen reported. . The murder lust of the criminals would ■ appal European society, and the losses of the victims amount in the aggregate to many thousands of pounds. In Calcutta and Allahabad within the last fortnight, men in motor-cars have committed hold-ups in broad daylight in busy quarters of the cities At Allahabad, three men in a taxi got away with 60,000 rupees which they took after tackling a bank messenger; in Oaleutta four desperadoes in a taxi robbed a rich Indian’s homo of pash and jewels of the value of nearly 10,000 rupees. The criminals were challenged by the police when making off, but they fired with revolvers and used daggers, and escaped. It is no exaggeration to say that the crime wave in India is without record.