DEATH OF PRISONERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1921, Page 5

DEATH OF PRISONERS.

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. TRAGEDY ON A TRAIN. ,By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Dec. 1, 5.5 p.m. Delhi, Nov. 30. A correspondent in Tirur reports that the committee appointed to inquire into the cause of the train tragedy has begun its sitting. Traffic Inspector Reeve said the van was not used for conveying prisoners previously. It, however, was identical with a van in which were carried 122 prisoners. He Acamined the van and found that a wire gauze ventilator, much smaller than usual, had been blocked with paint. The van was cleaned and disinfected before the prisoners entered it. The police sergeant in charge of the prisoners deposed that after the van was emptied he found nothing wrong. He did not particularly examine the wire gauze. He stated that the prisoners were given food and plenty of water before starting at five o’clock in the evening. He found them healthy when he took charge on arrival at Shoranur. At 5.30 p.m. the sergeant heard the prisoners shouting for water. He told them he would get water at Podanur. He did not open the doors of the van, as he saw no special reason, and, moreover, the escort was weak and the prisoners were not handcuffed. The sergeant mentioned fifteen occasions when he had never given water at Shoranur to prisoners he was conveying in similar vans. At Clavakode he went into the van and heard nothing unusual. There was not so much noise, but further requests for water. He telegraphed Podanur to keep him buckets of water ready, and on arriving at Podanur he took the water and then found all the prisoners lying , down. Some were groaning, whereupon he summoned medical aid. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A cable from Delhi, dated November 22, stated: A party of a hundred convicted Moplahs were entrained at Tirur, and fiftysix were found dead from asphyxiation at Podanur. The survivors received immediate medical attention. Eight died, but the remainder are expected to recover. The Government has ordered a full inquiry into the mysterious occurrence.