HC Deb 03 December 1945 vol 416 cc2050-2W
Mr. B. Taylor

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will make a statement on the recent incidents in Calcutta and Madras.

Mr. A. Henderson

Official reports have been received of two disturbances in India during November in which the police were obliged to resort to firing and fatal casualties were caused. In both cases the disturbances were the consequence of demonstrations by students protesting against the trial of Indian National Army officers.

The first of the disturbances took place on 6th November at Madura in Madras. The student demonstration became the nucleus of a mob of several thousands which damaged property and attacked a police party with brickbats and stones. After the failure of attempts to disperse the mob by lathi charges fire was opened after due warning. Ten rounds were fired which caused two fatal casualties. Curfew was imposed for two nights and constant patrolling of the affected area, coupled with the use of tear gas and lathi charges, brought the situation under control.

In Calcutta disturbances began in similar circumstances on 21st November. In defiance of a warning a student procession attempted to enter an area near the Government House and offices where for the past eight years demonstrations of this kind have not been permitted. The police had orders to oppose them but not to disperse them by force. Large crowds gathered, traffic on several main streets was blocked, the police were stoned, at times heavily, and attempts were made to break the police cordon. Despite the efforts of several local leaders, the students and crowds refused to go away. There was a lull in the early hours of 22nd November, but in the afternoon there were again violent attempts to break through the cordon. These were eventually successful and very large crowds streamed into the prohibited area. During all this period the police opened fire twice.

Meanwhile a general strike of Calcutta Corporation employees and of all transport services had put a stop to all public transport in the city. Street barricades were set up and rioters attacked government, military and private vehicles, which in many cases were damaged or set on fire and destroyed, their drivers were assaulted. In this way some 50 British and U.S. Government vehicles were destroyed and about 100 damaged. On the afternoon of the 23rd the military, who were already standing by, were ordered to take up dispositions in support of the police at various points in the city. By this time the disturbances had begun to decrease and by midday on Saturday the 24th conditions had become almost normal.

Throughout the entire period of the disturbances the police opened fire on 14 occasions, including the two already men- tioned. Inquiries are proceeding as required by Police Regulations into the circumstances of each case. There was no firing by the military. During the whole period there were 32 fatal casualties among members of the public and one American ambulance driver also lost his life. Over 300 people were injured, including 188 members of the police and of the British and U.S. forces more or less seriously. A somewhat fuller report of the Calcutta disturbances which has been published officially in Bengal has been placed in the Library.