CALCUTTA GAOL MUTINY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 May 1922, Page 5

CALCUTTA GAOL MUTINY.

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Delhi, May 19. Giving evidence at the Calcutta gaol mutiny inquiry, one witness said the mutiny occurred through a warder kicking a convict who was praying. Two other convicts in evidence said this was a false accusation, manufactured with the object of intimidation of the gaol authorities to let convicts have their own way. Apparently until the arrival of non-co-operation prisoners the convicts were docile, but subsequently they became discontents because political prisoners got privileges and better food, while the latter told the ordinary convicts that by agitating and making the position of the gaol people intolerable they would get better food. Political prisoners also were allowed to read extremist newspapers in prison, which were passed to ordinary criminals, inflaming them and resulting in a hunger strike, culminating in mutiny. One witness said the convicts asked him to send an erroneous report to the extremist papers regarding kicking a praying prisoner, also that another was throttled to death secretly. Another witness gave evidence that 1 the prisoners made weapons secretly for i some time in the gaol workshops. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.