NEHRU’S VISIT TO KASHMIR

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24907, 21 June 1946, Page 7

NEHRU’S VISIT TO KASHMIR

Rumours of Arrest bayonet” wound AT FRONTIER (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12.45 a.m.) LONDON, June 20. “ft is persistently rumoured that Pandit Nehru, president-elect of Congress, was arrested while trying to enter , Srinagar; the capital of Kashmir,” reports Reuter’s Bombay correspondent. "Nehru earlier declared that if the ban on his entry into Kashmir was not lifted he would defy it and walk to Srinagar.’’ Pandit Nehru, president-elect of the Congress Party was slightly injured in the-cheek with a bayonet when he tried to push back a sentry at- Kohala who was barring his way to Srinagar, capital of Kashmir. Pandit Nehru’s companion, a member of the Central Legislative Assembly, Dewan Chamalal, also received slight bayonet injuries in trying to defy the barrier, “The Bombay Stock Exchange and cotton market were idle to-day as a result of the Kashmir incidents. The newspapers displayed the story in

which it was reported that Nehru had been slightly injured Banner headlines included ‘President-elect Bayoneted.’ ” Pandit Nehru was trying to enter Srinagar to attempt to secure the release of Sheik Mohamed Abdullah, who was * arrested following disturbances in the Kashmir Valley and later charged with sedition and plotting to overthrow the Government and the ruling Maharajah. Sheik Abdullah ta" president of the National Conference, the recognised People’s Party in the state. The Kashmir Government had announced that it would ban Pandit Nehru’s entry when he reached the frontier at Kohala. Pandit Nehru ignored the order prohibiting his entry, which was served oh him immediately he crossed the Kohala bridge on the Kashmir border. He is still in Kashmir territory, but troops and police are barring the road to Srinagar.