503
in the Association's letter. I could not have
taken any further steps to ascertain the facts of
the cases. I did not attempt to see the records,
because I believed it would be useless for an out-
sider to apply. I wanted simply to give the
Commission a clue that they might find out the
truth. I did not, however, recommend that the
Commission should send for the records. I simply
stated the cases as facts. When I found that the
Commission was going to hear evidence, and not
merely act upon the written statements, I at-
tached less weight to written statements. I have,
however, no accurate information now to give
about these two cases.
Note by the Commission appended to the
evidence of BABU PURNA CHUNDER
MAITRA.
(1) Madhab Nagarchi. Madhab Nagarchi was
tried by the Sessions Judge, Faridpur, for mur-
dering his wife and child and was acquitted on
the ground of insanity on 10th July 1893.
The only mention of ganja in the record is in
the evidence of Mohan Nagarchi, uncle of the
accused, who stated that " Madhab smokes ganja."
This was before the Committing Magistrate. It
was not repeated in his evidence before the Ses-
sions Judge. This Mohan Nagarchi was alleged
by the accused to have had an intrigue with the
murdered woman, on account of which the accused
took her life.
Mohan Nagarchi and two other witnesses stated
that the accused had been mad several years before
and had then injured his mother; and six witnesses
(including the above) stated that he had been
mad for a day or two before the murder. He had
also had a quarrel with his wife the day before.
The Committing Magistrate attributed the crime
to jealousy; but the Judge, to insanity. Neither
mentions ganja. The Asylum papers show that
"the lunatic's father had tendency to insanity;
and that the probable cause of Madhab's own
insanity was "natural tendency possibly made
worse by smoking ganja."
(2) Dhopai Khan. Dhopai Khan, apparently
without motive, murdered a cripple boy on 20th
October 1889. He was insane and not fit to be tried
until 1893. The Sessions Judge acquitted him on
the ground of insanity on 9th May 1893. There is
no mention of ganja in the record, but the Judge
states a letter from the Jail Superintendent in 1889
had given the "probable cause of insanity as ganja
smoking:" the grounds for this statement which
appears to have been made by an Assistant Surgeon
are not apparent.
The papers received at the
Asylum from the Magistrate of Faridpur in 1890
show that the lunatic was not addicted to ganja
or other intoxicants and that no cause could be
assigned for his insanity. The Asylum Superin-
tendent stated that the cause of insanity was un-
known, and that the man was subject to re-
lapses.
237. Evidence of BABU GIRISH CHANDAR DE, Delegate of the Total Abstinence
Association, Bhawanipur.
Oral evidence.
I am deputed by the Total Abstinence Society of
Bhawanipur, of which I am a member, to state
their views on the hemp drugs.
I am not aware what steps the Society took on
receipt of the Commission's invitation in August.
I have not seen the letter dated 19th August,
stating that the Association hoped to send in due
course a written statement embodying their views.
The first that I knew of the matter was that the
Vice-President and Secretary met last Saturday
and decided to depute two members, myself and
another, to appear before the Commission, and
represent the views of the Association. I appear,
as the other member has sickness in his family.
The Society consists of 200 members. As far
as I know, there has been no meeting of the
Society or of the Executive Committee to discuss
the question. I don't know if the Society has
ever recorded its views on this question. I have
not received instructions as to what I am to say,
but the Secretary has given me his personal views,
which I have made note of. The Secretary was
not the other man appointed to represent the
Society. I have come forward to state separately
my own views and those of the Secretary. "But
of course I cannot say that I in any way represent
the Society of 200 members. I have taken a
good deal of trouble, since. I was appointed to
appear before the Commission, in making enquiries,
and hold my own views, which I wish to place
before the Commission.
My age is 30. I am L M.S. of the Calcutta
University of the year 1889. I have been in pri-
vate practice in Bhawanipur and Kalighat since
that year. I am not M.B., as stated in the letter
of the Secretary of the Society.
Kalighat is a great seat of ganja smoking, and
I have seen many smokers. I have treated nearly
a dozen of them for pneumonia, dysentery, and
insanity. I have treated nearly half a dozen pneu-
monia cases, four or five of dysentery, and two of
insanity, one of a violent and one of a mild type
in ganja-smokers. One of the latter was debili-
tated and afflicted with boils. I have treated not
less than 25 or 30 cases of pneumonia altogether.
I have treated 100 or more cases of dysentery,
and five cases of insanity, including the two ganja
smokers mentioned above. This practice has been
during the last three years.
I should like to see ganja consumption re-
stricted more than at present. That is my chief
view in coming before the Commission. I do not
wish for total prohibition. I do not know to what
point restriction has gone at present. What I
mean is that I want to see the drug less used by
the people than I have seen it used in the places I
know—Bhawanipur and Kalighat. Of other
localities I could only speak from hearsay. Apart
from Bhawanipur and Kalighat, all that I know
about the consumption of the drug is what I
have heard from the Secretary about the Chowbes
of Muttra and the sanyasis of Budh Gaya. My
personal experience leads me to favour restriction