Evening star., 1955-08-15
Indians March
On Portuguese;
9 Die, 38 Hurt
Demonstrators Enter
Goo and Two Other
Coast Settlements


BOMBAY, India, Aug. Is R)
Mine persons were reported
killed and some SO wounded as
India's "nonviolent demonstra-
tors" marched across the bor-
ders into Portuguese territory to-
day.
1t was part of the long planned
peaceful invasion" in the cam
paign to squeeze the Portuguese
out of their three tiny enclaves
on the Indian subcontinent.
Prime Minister Nehru showed a
lack of enthusiasm for it.
Indian organizers had prom
ised 100000 marchers. Some re-
ports said 5000 turned up. Others
put the number at 1000.
Armed guards on the Portu-
guese side of the borders sought
to force them back. Reports
flowing into the Indian side of
the border said the number of
dead rose to nine by late after
noon but that some Of the bodies
had to be abandoned in Portu-
gueSe territory.
About 1000 demonstrators
crossed the border of Goa and
another 1900 were reported to
have entered Daman after
marching two miles from the In
dian town of Vapi, where a
crowd of 10000 gave them a
sendoff.
Two hundred Socialist volun-
teers entered Diu, a small island
and mainland strip still farther
north.
Timed With Anniversary
The Observation-Disclosures
his, followers of Gandhi who be-
lieve in nonviolent methods-de-
mand that 1888 square miles of
Portuguese enclaves. the last for
eign holdings in the country, be
ceded to India. They timed their
marches to coincide with the
seventh anniversary of India in
dependence from British rule.
France gave up similar en-
claves peaceably last year. But
Portugal has stubbornly resisted
India demands and strengthened
border guards to resist the
marchers. Their campaign isl
supported by Mr.. Nehru, but only
lukewarmly. He gave the demon
strators his approval today, but
cautioned them to be PEACEFUL
and warned that they could ex-I
pect no help from the Indian
army.
Mr.. Nehru spoke to a crowd
of about 100000 at an anniver-I
sary celebration in, New Delhi.
Firing was reported from two
points on the north Goan bor-
der, Patradevi and Banda. where
Indians and Portuguese clashed.
Reports also mentioned large
scale bren gun firing on the
Indian side of the border near
Terekhol Creek. Several hundred
Indians were said to have crossed
the river in boats under the
glare of Portuguese searchlights.
Later they hoisted the Indian.
tricolor-saffror, white and
green-over Terekhol fort.
Firing was also reported at
Daman, where Indian journalists
who climbed trees to watch the
demonstrations counted nine
rounds.
From Pernem, near the north
ern Goan frontier with India,
an Associated Press correspon-
dent reported Portuguese police
patrols quickly rounded up the
demonstrators. The first seized
were 46 right1wing Hindus who
crossed the Tiracol River in small
boats. They were at liberty for
only one hour.
At the village of Arambal, a.
priest and group of villagers
turned over 49 unresisting peas
ant Communist demonstrators.
Refused to Lower Flag
Reports reaching Bombay from
Palya, Goa. said the Portuguese
fired on demonstrators who re-
fused to pull down an Indian
national flag they had hoisted
on temple near Terekhol Greek.
One person was reported killed
and two wounded.
v. D. Chitale, Communist
leader of all those entering Goa
was reported wounded in the fir
ing at Banda.
Two unidentified United States
neWsmen covering the march
were reported to have brought
the bodies of two dead to the
border, one woman who defied
the Goa liberation committee
ban on women crossing the bor-
der.