LESS VIOLENCE IN INDIA

Southland Times, Issue 24833, 27 August 1942, Page 5

LESS VIOLENCE IN INDIA

CONGRESSMEN ACTIVE (Rec. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 25. The wave of violence in India is rapidly subsiding. The correspondent of The Times in New Delhi says lawabiding sections in some areas are co-operating with the troops and police in rounding up looters. Demonstrations in Bengal continue on a reduced scale. There are individual instances of damage to Government, also public utility, property in Madras. A stay-in strike .at one mill in Coimbatore led to a riot in which two'persons were killed. The police in Cawnpore fired on a violent crowd, resulting in four casualties. It would be premature to assume there will be no more trouble. Clandestine Congress tracts are being circulated widely. Congress members in Bihar are distributing pamphlets calling on public servants to resign. Congress supporters in one area in Bengal are urging non-payment of rents and taxes, also the free manufacture of salt. A Lucknow communique reports two instances in which the police were forced to fire. Eight persons were killed. Collective fines of £l5OO and £560 were imposed on two villages. A communique issued by the Government of the Bihar-Orissa Province says 17 persons were killed on August 19 in the Buxar area when the police and troops fired on crowds. There were serious riots at Katra and Asanol, troops firing on the crowds. Sixteen persons were killed at Sasaram on August 14 when the authorities fired on a Dacoit-led mob.

DIVISION OF INDIA Proposal For Five States (8.0.W.) RUGBY, August 25. A proposal to divide India into five Dominions has been made by Sir Firoz Khan Noon, Defence member of the Government of India and a former High Commissioner in London. An Allabahad message states that the five Dominions would be Bengal and Assam, the Central Provinces, the United Provinces and Bihar, Madras, Bombay, and the Punjab, Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier and Sind. Sir Firoz Noon agreed that there should be a central authority to carry on the united effort. Defence, Customs and foreign relations would be reserved for the central authority, which would be composed of nomineec of the five Dominions.