Evening star., 1946-12-15
Terror Reigns
InOldBombay
Hindu Moslem Tension
Brings Fear, Boycott
and Curfew
By C.. M. Kelly

BOMBAY, India.-The protractet
and terrorism among Bonn
BAYS Hindu and Moslem Commu-
mites has had drastic economic an6
social effects upon this city of ap-
proximately 100000 persons.
Probably no one in Bombay has
escaped some effect of the troubles
and tensions which have continued
without a break since 6. riot Sep
tember /.
No official agency has calculated
the extent of loss, and probably such
a survey would be impossible, but
there Is no doubt that it runs into
many hundreds of thousands OF
dollars In addition to casualties In
the hundreds.
Most of Bombay Is under all-night
curfew. Armed police and military
patrols herd the people indoors and
arrest recalcitrants and suspected
trouble makers.
No Hindu sets foot in the Moslem
section known as Bhendi Bazaar. No
MoSlem enters the Hindu section
known as Lal Baug. In either in
stance, it well might be the visitors
last living act.
Business Affected.
Scores of business places operated
by Hindus in Moslem localities or
by Moslems in Hindu localities have
been locked by their owners who
have fed. Systematically these
places are being looted, although tho
police shoot at looters on sight.
Fear and communal tension have
resulted in partial boycotts of one
community against the business en-
terprises of the other. Even in
financial circles traders on the share
market assert privately that the
boycotts may freeze" some opera
tors out of the market.
Streetcar and bus services have
been rerouted so that through"
traffic does not pass alternately
through Hindu and Moslem sections.
Theaters have been hard hit by
he curfew, and some have suspended
temporarily or for the duration Of
the trouble.
Curfew Plaques Poor.
Many persons who live in danger
areas have existed on almost star
vation diets at times because they
feared to visit ration depots for
grain, their staple food. The gov
ernment has opened new depots and
provided police protection.
The curfew has been plague to
the poor. who occupy hot, stuffy
and overcrowded quarters. Tens Of.
thousands who usually find some
relief from overcrowding by having
the menfolk sleep outdoors now
must crowd inside their locked huts
or rooms amid the squalor and
smells and heat.
Hundreds of families have had to
search for living quarters in city
where housing is SO short that some-
times bribes much greater than the
legal rent must be paid to landlords
for the privilege of occupying dirty
and poorly lighted rooms.
The trouble has solidified COM
munal sentiment. The police FREE
quently have protested that nor
mally law-abiding persons have done
nothing to interfere with or dis
close identity Of assassins identified
with their community.
Neighbors who seldom paid much
attention to one another, have been
banded together communally In de-
Tense units in many sections.
Not all persons agree upon how
lasting this solidification viii be.
Some believe it will take generations
to dim hates born Of wanton slay-
ing Of relatives and friends, or born
of fear alone.
There has been profit In the dis.
turbances, too. for some. Hoodlums
called "goondas" in India-quickly
took advantage of the situation.
Posing alternately as Hindus and
Moslems, some collected 'protec-
ton" money from neighborhood
groups OF both communities.
Distributed BY the Associated Prssal
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