ANOTHER BLOOD BATH IN KASHMIR

Chronicle (Levin), 1 December 1947, Page 5

ANOTHER BLOOD BATH IN KASHMIR

(N.Z.P.A.-

- -Reuter*

Oopyriahi )

Received Bundav, 7.30 p.m. NEW DELHI, Nov. 30. According to militarv reports last night raiding tribesmen in Bouthern iCashmir "were butchering meti; -women and children and devasthting villages ; along a 35-mile front paraliel with tlie West Bunjab (Pakistan) border, says Reuter's correspondent in Jannnu. Thousands of refugees are pouring from the area. Indian troops who relieved half a dozen besieged garrisons m Bouthern Kashmir last night faeed a solid line of raiding tribesmen. The situation was said to be as serious as ever it had been. Severn! thousand invaders, many mounted and most supported by mountain artiilery, were fighting along a 90-mile front with their backs to Pakistan. This situation resulted from the State troops' forceu evacuation of Alirpur which became a blazing deathtrop uuder the raiders' assaults. The invaders hold a more or less connected line from the Headquarters of the socalled ' ' Pree Kashmir ' ' Government at Palandri in the north to Aklmur in the south and their positions are perilously close to the eommon frontier of the two Dominions. A district magistrate" who was one oi the last officials to leave Mirpur saut 10,000 eivilians and 500 troops of the Kashmir State garrison were led out through the raiders' lines by two Alos» lems. Aimost £53,000 had to be abandoned in Mirpur because the key to the district treasury safe was missing. Sniping against the State forces increased after the population along the Pakistan border had been armed anu the defenee posts had to be given up. When the assault 011 tlie town was opened with a bombardment from three sides the population numbered 9000 Hindus and Sikhs.and (5000 refugees. Tlie invaders bufned part of the town and killed an unknown number of eivilians. ITyderabad State has formed a n'ew interim government of twelvo ministers which stabilises for one year Ilyderabad's administrative arrftngements With the Union of India. Mir Laik Aii ivill be Prime iMinister for one year and is entrusted with the task of Y'orming 1 new cabinet. The interim governnentment will consist of four Moslem, four Hindu ministers and four whom :he State 's kroslem ruler will nominate.