WILD RIOTS IN EUROPEAN QUARTER OF BOMBAY CITY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 456, 18 May 1932, Page 1

WILD RIOTS IN EUROPEAN QUARTER OF BOMBAY CITY.

Hospitals Full and Thousands Flee from Scene of Savage Fights.

(United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) (Received May 18, 11.30 a.m.) CALCUTTA, May 17. Persistent rioting in Bombay has resulted in the despatch of further troops to the city. The trouble is becoming worse and there were further attacks to-day. Seven are dead and fifty injured, making the total over 70 dead and 730 injured since Saturday. There is tense excitement in the city, where the trouble is spreading to the European shopping centre. The police on three occasions fired on the Moslem crowd, who set fire to a Hindu dwelling, injuring many. The difficulties of the situation were increased by the temporary closure of 30 cotton mills and their thousands of operatives, who are idling in the streets, are ripe for mischief. The communal frenzy reached a climax last night, mobs looting and burning shops and houses and making street bonfires of their contents. Many centres are practically beseiged by Hindu and Moslem mobs, savagely battling with knives. The hospitals are filled with the injured and dying. Thousands are fleeing from the city.

TROOPS PATROL BOMBAY.

Outbreak of Rioting Occurs in Calcutta. (Received May 18, noon.) RUGBY, May 17. The presence of British troops patrolling the disturbed areas of Bombay had a salutary effect to-day. The tension was heightened by the fact that it was Mohurram, the. Moslem New Year. The police and troops are displaying complete impartiality towards the rioters. An order forbidding movement during the night time and prohibiting assemblies of more than five people have been issued. The Governor of Bombay, Sir Frederick Sykes, to-day drove through the disturbed areas. There was also a clash between Moslems and Hindus at Calcutta to-day,

and during efforts to restore order deputy officers and constables were struck by flying missiles. Several civilians were also hurt.

Rioting has continued without interruption since Saturday, the ire of the Hindus and Moslems having been aroused thoroughly. Like many such outbreaks, the trouble began in a small way, when Hindus beat two Moslem boys, who were soliciting contributions for the celebration of the Moslem festival of Mohurram. This incident was enough to inflame the religious fanaticism of the Moslems, who need very little encouragement to start them on a campaign against their age-old enemies the Hindus. In the first day’s rioting two were killed and over fifty injured, and the police were compelled to fire on the mobs. Since then police reinforcements have been drafted to the city, and armoured cars have been requisitioned, but, despite these measures, the outbreak has progressed with growing intensity.