The Bombay City Police: A Historical Sketch, 1672-1916Edwardes, S. M. (Stephen Meredyth)
History
The Bombay City Police: A Historical Sketch, 1672-1916
Edwardes, S. M. (Stephen Meredyth)
Crime -- India -- Mumbai; Police -- India -- Mumbai
11. Thus we reached the 10th night or _Katal-ki-rat_, which precedes the
last or Immersion Day (January 12th). On the night of the 11th January I
reached Paidhuni at 10 p.m. and there met Rao Bahadur Chunilal Setalvad,
who had heard conflicting rumours and had offered his services to me in
case I required them. We determined to wait there until the processions
of the B division began to move out round the City, which should have
happened about 11-45 p.m. By midnight the streets were crowded, but
there was no sign of a procession. At 12-30 a.m. I received information
that Latiff and Rangari Moholla had started out. In order to make quite
certain I went down Abdul Rehman Street to find out where they were
and give them a lead forward. I could not find them for some time, but
finally caught sight of their torches moving down the south end of Koka
Bazaar towards Carnac Road, in other words in the opposite direction
to which they ought to have been moving. The next thing I heard was
that they had turned back, placed their tabut down in its _mándwa_ and
declined to go any further. Knowing that this in itself spelt trouble,
and having been told that unless Rangari Moholla lifted its tabut none
of the others would, I sent the divisional police to fetch Latiff, and
told him that if he did not take out his tabut in procession along the
proper route I would leave no stone unturned to punish him. Latiff was
genuinely afraid and promised to start out again. So at length, about
1-45 a.m., the Rangari Moholla tabut moved up Abdul Rehman Street towards
Paidhuni, with drums, band, torches, and a bullock cart containing
oil and wood to replenish the torches. On arrival at Paidhuni, Latiff
implored police protection for his procession, in view of the anger
of Teli Gali, Bengalpura and the Konkani Mohollas. I therefore sent 4
sowars, several foot police and 4 European officers with the procession,
while Mr. Vincent and some C. I. D. men undertook to walk ahead and see
them safely into the C division limits.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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