Karachi Riot

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 68, 22 March 1935, Page 7

Karachi Riot

FORTY DEATHS REPORTED AMAZING SCENES WITNESSED (By Telegraph—P ress Association —Copyright) KARACHI, March 20. The Moslems’ deathroll as a result of yesterday’s riot is now 40. It is feared that many more will die. The situation is at present calm, but the Sussex Regiment and armed police are patrolling the city. There were amazing scenes before the clash occurred when nearly 50,000 Moslems prayed by the exhumed coffin of the executed man. Even after the troops had fired thousands of fanatical Moslems refused to abandon the coffin, but the religious leaders eventually persuaded them to place the body in the original grave. A British officer and three Indian magistrates were injured by missiles. Influential Hindu and Moslem citizens arc raising a fund for the relief cf the families of the dead. GHASTLY SPECTACLE BRITISH TROOPS PRAISED KARACHI, March 20. Four miles of road from the cemetery presented a ghastly spectacle of dead, wounded, broken bottles and missiles. Numerous public tributes have been paid by Indian residents to the commendable tact with which 25 British soldiers risked their lives in handling the delicate situation threatening to envelope the city in a terrible communal blaze. No anti-Britisl} feeling is resulting from the riot. PLUCKY WOMAN FACES CROWD ALONE KARACHI, March 20. During yesterday’s riots a whitehaired Scotswoman, Mrs. Davy Munro, superintendent of the hospital, held its gate against 600 excited Moslems, who rushed thither to inquire about relatives possibly killed or wounded when the troops fired. The agitators incited the crowd to force the gate, but Mrs. Munro faced he mob calmly, and asked whether they preferred being held back by her or armed police. The crowd remained orderly and unarmed i "dice took up the guard duties. NON-USE OF TEAR GAS MR. CHURCHILL’S QUESTION LONDON, March 20. In the House of Commons Mr. Churchill, referring to the Karachi trouble, asked why lachrymository gas capsules had been used to disperse the excited crowds as was done in the United States. Sir Samuel Hoare said that the Government of India had considered the method and had used it in the PunjabHe was confident that the troops aud police in Karachi would deal with the situation in the best way.