Evening star., 1942-08-11
British Troops
Battle Mobs in
Ten Outbreaks
70 Dead, 200 Hurt
Since Fighting
Began Sunday
Bv PRESTON GROVER.

Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
BOMBAY, Aug. 11.-Britisb
troops, some armed with ma
chine guns, came to the aid Of
police today as 13 more persons
were killed and 80 injured in 10
instances in which gunfire was
used to break up Bombay mobs
participating in Mohandas K.
Gandhi's civil disobedience cam
paign.
The toll of casualties since out
breaks began Sunday thus was
brought to % dead and more than
200 injured. with disorders and mill
stoppages spreading wider over In
dia and indications that dreaded
communal rioting between Hindus
and Moslems might break cut.
TIE Bombay government an
nounced that troops had partici-
pated in the firing on crowds on
one or two occasions. Police
marched in formation through the
various disturbed sections.
In radio broadcast to the nation.
Sir Roger Lumley, governor of Bonn
bay, declared he could not allow
the disturbances to continue, and
said police and troops have orders
to take severe measures whenever
necessary"
Work Stops in Auto Plants.
Work was interrupted at the Gen.
eral Motors assembly plant in Bonn
bay. The Ford assembly plant
continued in operation.
The Government took increased
measures to restore and keep order.
In some areas troops marched in
where police strength seemed in
adequate to cope with expected out
breaks.
From Bombay on the west coast to
Calcutta on the east coast came
reports of demonstrations, hartals
the closing of stores and COON
daism trowdyism as the call for a
total shutdown of trade spread to
Gandhi's turbulent followers with
a promise from their leaders OF VIC
tory in two months in what they
called their final struggle" against
British rule.
Police said the slightest spark
might touch of rioting between the
sub-continent's opposing religious
groups, Hindus and Moslems.
Bonfires Started in Streets.
There were new demonstrations
this morning in the Dadar, Parel
and Matunga sections of the CITY.
Bonf1res were started in the streets
and fed with hats, neckties and
other articles of European clothing
snatched from passersby.
Police opened fire twice when
mobs set fire to a wooden police
guard post and attempted to halt
traffic.
AS the day wore on police fired
several times more, increasing the
toll OF casualties.
In many places the mere presence
OF troops prevented outbreaks. A
regiment marched into Ahmedabad,
Where students and mill workers
had seemed on the verge of dis
order. Troops marched ceaselessly
through the streets of Bombay,
Machine guns were mounted COW
erlng beach where a meeting Of
Indians had been scheduled. An
armored car stood guard at one in
tersectlon. Two-score soldiers, vet
erans of the Burma fight, stood with
fixed bayonets at another corner,
Students Quit College.
A crowd at Parel burned park
benches. Some persons were injured
when police fired to break up the
mob
Stores closed at Karachi. and in
Calcutta heavy-industry district
the operators of bullock carts quit
work.
Students quit colleges in such uni
Verslty towns as Bombay, Nagpur
and Bangalore.
Police, wary against the possibility
of Hindu-Moslem riots, said the
tSee INDIA, Page A-16)