MUCH QUIETER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1942, Page 3

MUCH QUIETER

SITUATION IN INDIA TROUBLES CENTRE IN BOMBAY ASSURANCE OF STERN ACTION. AGAINST LAWLESS ELEMENTS. LONDON, August 11. The situation throughout India was much quieter today except, in Bombay, which remains the chief centre of trouble. A. broadcast warning was given tonight that the Government of India intended io take further measures to quell rioting. The violent outbursts of the past three days have been confined to certain areas of the city and to only certain elements in those areas. Police and troops have orders to take stern measures whenever the situation demands it. Seven persons were killed and 12 wounded during today's disturbances, when the police and troops had to fire several times on the rioters. Apart from minor incidents at Madras and New Delhi, the situation in other cities is quiet. BACK TO NORMAL MOST OF THE BOMBAY MILLS WORKING. DECLARATION BY SIKH LEADER. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 11. A message from Bombay states that the city has almost completely resumed normal life. Few of the 70 mills are shut down. It is clear that the Congress is not receiving support from the other parties, and it looks as though the Government’s promptitude has crushed civil disobedience. Last night’s curfew completely cleared the streets. Anyone abroad W’as immediately arrested. The mob element was again busy in some areas this morning. Many shops are closed in Calcutta, and work has been interrupted in some of the jute mills. At Nagpur, students struck and shops shut. Crowds at New Delhi were in an uglier mood than on the previous day. They forced the remaining shops—mostly Moslem —to close down. The police did not interfere beyond guarding banks and other buildings, pushing rioters off the tramlines and enabling empty trams to move on. Most of the local leaders have disappeared to avoid arrest, and the mobs were virtually leaderless. A crowd which tried to reach the Viceroy was led by women. Sardar Baldev, Development Minister in the Punjab, stated that the Sikhs would not tolerate any subversive movement calculated to weaken the war effort FURTHER RIOTING IN PARTS OF BOMBAY & DELHI. SOME STUDENTS ON STRIKE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) RUGBY, August 11. Despatches from India report that demonstrations, accompanied by indiscriminate violence and the wrecking of public property, continued today in parts of Bombay and Delhi. Communications were interrupted and stones were thrown at the police, who used lathis and tear gas, but when the mobs did not disperse fired upon them. The police were supported by troops with sub-machine-guns. Several deaths are reported. Poona and Ahmadabad are quieter. Several schools and colleges in various places are reported to have [closed, the students having gone on strike.