द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

THE FIGHT RESUMED 265 able state of affairs arose in March 1931, when the Delhi Pact was concluded. But instead of turning over a new leaf, the authorities decided to copy the Black and Tan methods that had been employed in Ireland. Between June and October 1931, three regrettable incidents took place suc- cessively—at Chittagong, at Hijli Detention Camp, seventy miles from Calcutta and at Dacca. At Chittagong an Indian police-officer was murdered. 'The next morning, hooligans were let loose on the town and while the police remained inactive, looting went on in broad daylight. The idea was to teach the people of Chittagong a 'moral' lesson. An inquiry committee appointed by the Calcutta public came to the conclusion after investigation, that the conduct of some local officials was open to serious question and the late Mr. J. M. Sengupta openly made the allegation in a public meeting in Calcutta. On the report of the Divisional Com- missioner, official action against some officers was taken after a very long time. At the Hijli Camp there was some understanding between the state-prisoners and the armed guards. Following this, one night the armed warders made a surprise attack on the state-prisoners' barracks and after firing indiscriminately at the barracks, attacked the state- prisoners with the butt-end of their rifles. During the firing, two of the state-prisoners, Santosh Mitra and Tarakeswar Sen, were killed and twenty seriously injured. An official committee appointed by the Government consisting of a judge of the High Court, came to the conclusion after an open inquiry, that the firing was altogether unjustified. At Dacca, there was an unsuccessful attempt to murder the District Magistrate. The same night, four parties of police- men went out to different parts of the city, raided the houses of respectable citizens, destroyed furniture and other articles, assaulted people and carried away whatever valuables they could—besides making a large number of indiscriminate arrests. The Calcutta public sent a Committee of Inquiry,¹ which after due inquiry, corroborated all the above facts. ¹ The writer was a member of this Committee but when he arrived near Dacca, he was removed from the District by sheer physical force by police-officers. The moment he was free he started for Dacca again when he was put in prison. He was subsequently released and could then continue the inquiry.