INDIAN AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1930, Page 5

INDIAN AFFAIRS

/SMUGGLING OF COCAINE

ARRESTS FOR PICKETING

[United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.]

(Received this <]av at 9.41) n.m.) DELHI, June 17. Tim Government of India is con-

: ducting a special investigation into the smuggling of cocaine into India i and Burma. The drug traffic has grown enormously. j A police officer, J. Slattery, is journeying to Japan to endeavour to trace the origin of supplies. I At Boosay, the police arrested fil'tvone Congress volunteers I'op picketing Eitirortp-an stores in the 'big shopping quarter of the cily. The streets are filled witli menacing crowds demonstratin.fr, ..sympathy with those arrested. Troons maintained order. It is likely the Marylobonc cricketers will he asked to defer their tour this year owing to a threat of a boycott .

Prominent European sportsmen say: “We cannot have our guests insulted.”

IN INDIA.

REPORT OF OPERATIONS

ON AFRIDI SITUATION.

(Official Wireless.)

(Received this dnv at 11 n.mA RUGBY, June 17

The Government of Tndia has issued an appreciation of the situation in Tiv-lia for the week endi n<r : 7th June.

It is stated the Afridi situation overshadowed everything else during the week. At one time events threatened to assume a very serious complexion. A Laslikar led by S-aid Badfjhah -and ether prominent Mullahs, was known to have formed some three weeks ago near the western end of Kliajari Plain, Subsequently further concentrations were made with standards collected at upper Barra and began to move slowly towards Peshawar district border. By June 4th the Laslikar, had reached a point about 15 miles west of Barra fort. r ihe reported intention was to hold Jirga with Khalil and Molimand tribes of the district, with a view to combined resistance to the alleged Government oppression.

On the night of 4th June, the La.shkar entered Peshawar district and numerous isolated gangs, some of them numbering several hundreds, penetrated Khalil and Molimand villages up to the cantonment bounda’rv Khalils and Mohmands were incited to revolt and attack the cantonment, but refused. A large part of the Laslikar appeal’s thereupon to have retired westwards towards the hills. Numerous gangs, however, remained scattered through Khalil and Molimand country and in the garderife of /Peshawar city. Trees were felled and culverts destroyed on Peshawar-Barra road.

On the morning of sth, parties retiring across Khajari Plain were bombed from the air and the Royal Air Force reported having inflicted heavy casualties.

Simultaneously a movable column marched out from Peshawar to clear the country between Barra and Rohat road. The drive was entirely successful and the troops are repoited to liave indicted severe casualties, operating in very difficult terrain. Details of the losses suffered Iby the Government forces are not yet available but there were a few casualties, as was inevitable in operations of this sort. Gareful search conducted on 6th June failed to discover any Afridi stragglers in British territory, and the entire Lashkar appears to have withdrawn from the district.