INDIAN TROOPS FIND RAIDERS IN STRENGTH

Chronicle (Levin), 31 October 1947, Page 5

INDIAN TROOPS FIND RAIDERS IN STRENGTH

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter,

Copyright)

Received Friday, 11.5 a.m. NEW DELHI, October 30. Indian troops sent into Kashmir found that the raiders were "in some sirength" and were usmg modern weapons, including machine-guns, mortars and artillery, says an Indian Army communique. Spitfires of the Indian Air Force yesterday strafed rebel tribesmen in Kashmir "with good effect." The tribesmen were in a reinforcements column west of Srinagar. They scurried into the woods and suffered casualties. ,

The communique adds that Indian u'oups nave been senc into Jammu, uie predommantiy riinuu provmce oi Kasnmir. Lieui.-Goionei u. Rai, commanumg me indian lorccjs m brinagar, was xiiiea wiien cuiiuuciuiig the wiLiiurauai lruni iiaraniuia on October 27. An army spoke.sman who has jusi reiurneci irom srinagar suiu tne situaiion was utang .stauihseu slowly. bcores oi' rel'ugees, mosdy women and children irom ioxunagar, iiave occupitci i.xie wnoie nour t>paee au \Viixixigiion Aiiiit-id omce, near New ooui, 'ine aniitau was lieaviiy guarcleu. oue airhne oiriCiai esamui.eu that auuut 2u aircrait were now engaged 011 "operatioii . xNixie r>uAJ airlint rs, cnaiaerea oy tne indian Oovernment lu evacuaie 11011ivio.su'in.s iiom w e.41 i'axvi.staii, were now bemg useu 111 ine bnnagar siiULtie serviee. Victims of Deep Laid Plot "We liave been the victims of a deep luxu pioi, execuied with utter uisi egaru ior ihe elementary prinCitjxea ui nonetoiy, cnivairy and Honour,' said the Governoroeneiai oi Pu-ustan, Mr. Jinnan, in a speten. lie tnanKed Proviaence ior givxiig ir'akiscdii tne courage and iaicxi lo hgnt tne forces oi evn. 'ineir CxiCxxxies woulu 110 1 suceeed ixi hieir ueoires, but "a grave and aangeruus situaoion conironted tne ioonniiion. ' A speciai correspondent of the Statesmen, oi inaia, who today returned to New Delni irom Srinagar by uir, stai.es that the raiders are makmg some progress and were at Guimarg, within ten miles of the capital. The raiders had burned t.he Maharajah's Royal Palace and deotroyed Guimarg, the popular Anglo-lndian summer resort. „The correspondent added that after an air attack the village oi Petan remained in the hands ofj

1 the raiders, who were bringing up reinforcements from the tribal areas and the Hazara district of ! North Punjab. ; An Indian Ministry of External , Afiairs' communique says there is ! an irnmediate danger of the raiders 1 reaching Srinagar and destroying | and ransacking the capital, and ; massacring a large number of in- : habitants, both Hindus and Mos1 lems. The communique declared I that the Government two days ago ! asked ihe Pakistan Government to j seal up the Pakistan-Kashmir I oorder to prevent the raiders getang into Kashmir. The Ministry's statement added that the security of Kashmir, whose north ern borders were comiguous j to Russia, Afghanistan and China ; was vitahto the security of India.