§ Mr. WHITEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can make a statement with regard to the recent disturbances at Poona?
§ Mr. BUTLERThe disturbance at Poona on the 24th April arose during a religious festival which the Hindus were celebrating with music at a shrine in a public road. The district magistrate, after consultation with the leaders of the Hindu and Muslim communities, had given his permission to the celebration on condition that only soft music should be played and only at stated hours and that there should be no obstruction to traffic. Trouble started when a crowd of Muhammedans began to throw stones at the worshippers, and the Hindus retaliated. In separating the rival crowds, members of which on both sides were armed with lathis, the police suffered several casualties, and eventually worship was discontinued. Later in the day the situation deteriorated and order was restored only after a company of British troops had been called out. They were withdrawn by mid-day on the 25th and neither they nor the police had to resort to firing. The casualties amount to two dead, of whom one was a Muhammedan and one a Hindu, and 159 injured (including police), of whom only 26 were detained in hospital. No further trouble has been reported.