Report on the Police Administration of the Central Provinces and Berar for the Year 1930 * * *
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Report on the Police Administration of the Central Provinces and Berar for the year 1930 * * * NAG PUR GOVERNMENT PRINTING, C.P. 1932 Agents for the sale of Publications issued by the Central Provinces Govei"nment [ NoTE.-Appointments of all official Agents in the United Kingdom and on the Continent for the sale of Government Publi cations have been terminated with effect from the Ist April 1925. All publications in future are obtainable either direct from the High Commissioner for India, India House, Aldwych, London, W. C. 2, or through any bookseller.] INDIA AKOLA: JUBBULPORE: The proprietor, Shri Ramdas Stores, The Manager, General Book Depot. Tajnapeth. KARACHI: ALLAHABAD: The Standard Bookstall. Mr. Ram Narain Lal, Publisher, etc., 1, Bank Road. LAHORE: The Superintendent, Nazair Kanun • The Punjab Sanskrit Book Dcptot. Hind Press. Rai Sahib M. Gulab Singh & Sons. AMRAOTI: Thakur & Co., Booksellers. LUCKNOW: The Proprietor Newal Kishore BARODA: Press. Mr. M. C. Kothari, Bookseller and The Upper India Publishing House, Publisher, Raopura Road. Ltd., 41, Aminabad Park. BILASPUR: Mr. M. A. Subhan, Bookseller and MADRAS: Publisher. Higginbotham & Co. S. Murthy & Co., Post Box BOMBAY: No. 152. D. B. Taraporevala, Sons & Co., The Proprietor, The City Book 190, Hornby Road, Fort. Co., Post Box No. 283. Radhabai Atmaram Sagoon. Sunder Pandurang; 25, Kalba4evi NAGPUR: Road. · Aidan Binzani, Proprietors, Karmavir Thacker & Co., Ltd. Book Depl>t, Mahal. CALCUTTA: Mr. G. G. Khot, Walker Road. The Book Company, 4/4-A, College Mr. G. A. Shastri, Bookseller and Street. Publisher, Hislop College Road. Butterworth & Co., (India) Ltd., The Manager, General Book Depot. 8-2, Hastings Street. The Manager, " The Hitavada ". The Indian School Supply Depot. The Proprietor, Bhisey Brothers M. C. Sircar & Sons, 75, Harrison Booksellers and Publishers. Road, PATNA: Newman & Co. The Patna Law Press Co. R. Cambray & Co. S. K. Lahiri & Co. POONA: Thacker, Spink & Co. The Proprietors, New Kitabkhana. COOCH BEHAR: RANGOON: Babu S. C. Taluqdar, Proprietor, The Superintendent, American Students & Co. Baptist Mission Press. DELHI: SIMLA: The Oxford Book and Stationery Co. Thacker, Spink & Co. No. 27·563-VI GOVERNMENT OF THE CENTRAL PROVINCr;S POLICE DEPARTMENT Nagpur, the 8th January 1932. READ- Report on the Police Administration of the Central Provinces and Berar for the year 1930. READ ALSO- Th<. district report~. RESOLUTION 1. Government has read the report with interest. It covers a period during which the police force was put to a strain greater than any to which it had been subjected previously in the history of the province. First it had to contend with a troublesome strike on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, in connection with which the railway police did specially good work; and when that had been settled, it had to face the civil disobedience movement in all its various forms. In dealing· with this movement-with salt satyagraha, forest satyagraha, picketing of liquor and foreign cloth shops and in many cases with open violence and rioting-the conduct of the force was exemplary throughout, and all ranks earned the praise and thanks of Government. The serious nature of the movement can be deduced from the fact that there were no less than 4,812 convictions for offences connected with it, that one member of the force was killed and 145 received injuries in suppressing it, and that punitive police had to be imposed in no Jess than nine districts. Although early in · the year the police were exposed to every kind of vilification, it is satisfactory to note that at the end of the year their relations with the public had returned to normal in many districts. · 2. There were no important changes in the strength of the force. It is recognized that in places this strength is inadequate even in normal times. In times like the 2· past year; when the force had to meet incessant demands, and had to supply nearly sao men for punitive work, it was only the devotion of all ranks to their duty that averted a break-down. The force is also badly housed in many places, and Government hopes that the task of remedying it will be taken in hand as soon as the finances. of the province improve. 3. Despite the turbulent conditions of the year and the great increase of work imposed on the police by the:~ civil disobedience movement, it is reassuring to find~ firstly, that the number of crimes registered fell from 41,100 in the preceding year to 39,200: and, secondly, that the police were able to investigate 28,800 of these as against 29,500 in the preceding year. Action taken under the preventive sections of the Criminal Procedure Code was again effective. 4. The office of the Inspector-General or Police. \\as held throughout the year by Mr. Morony, and high. praise is due to him for his excellent leadership, and, for· the sound advice which he was always able' to give ta: Government. The Governor in Council desires to tender: to .him· and to all members of the force his. thanks. fot~ their untiring zeal, and to congratulate those ofikers. on. whom distinctions were conferred. 0RDER.-0rdered that a copy of the resolution be. submitted to the Government of India.,. Home Depart ment, and a copy be forwarded to the Registrar, Judicial Commissioner's Court, for information of the Ju.diciaL Commissioner, and the Inspector·General'of Police, for. information and guidance, also that it be published in the. supplement ta the Central Provinces Gazette. By order of the Governor in Council~ H. GOWAN, Chief Secretary to Government, Central. Ptovinces. No. 2338. FROM C. C. CHITHAI\1, EsQ., I.P., 0FFG. INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE, Central Provinces, To THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, PoLICE DEPARTMENT, Central Provinces. Nagpur, the 25th June 1931. SIR, I have the honour to submit the Report on the Police Administration of this Province for the year 1930, together with the prescribed statements. · I have tile honour to be, SIR, Your most obedient servant, C. C. CHITHAM, Offg. Inspector-General of Police, Central Provinces. Report on Police Administration of the Central Provinces and Berar for the year 1930. PART I.-CRIME SECTION I .-GENERAL Mr. Morony held charge of the Department, with Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Chitliam as Deputy Inspectors General, Crime and Railways, and Eastern Range, res7 pectively, throughout the year. The Western Range was under :Mr. Duke during the period of February until November when Mr. Smyth was on leave. On that officer's return towards the end of the year the two ranges were temporarily split into three. 2. Economic conditions in the early part of the year were more favourable than for sometime. In the cotton country the crops were fair to good, but the price of cotton remained low and slumped towards the end·of the year. Yeotmal had acute water scarcity, and there was some cholera. In the rice country the crops were fairly good except in the unirrigated portion of the Bhandara district where also the demand for labour in the manganese mines decreased. In the Nerbudda valley and the northern districts of Saugor, Damoh and Jubbulpore the rabi crops were nearly average after three years of bad crops, while the kharif was good, and the staple foods generally were more plentiful than they had been for a long time. A decided fall in crime against property in the wheat country was the natural result. The cultivator, however, has been hard hit by the general trade depression and the slump in prices which commenced towards the end of the year. 3. The year was one in which the Police had pro bably the greatest strain put upon them during the history of the Province and the record of their work; the manner in which they have steadfastly and loyally carried through their duties makes one feel proud to be a member of the force. Everything was more or less normal until the 4th February when the Great Indian Peninsula Railway 2 ·~One day" strike commenced, which unfortunately continued until the 24th April. The extra duties entailed in the··proter.tion of the line; bridges, and so on, in many places at considerable inconvenience, were cheerfully borne, and cases of inattention to duty were practically nil. One constable died from cholera contracted while guarding a bridge. The bestowal by Government of a full pension for his widow was very gratifying. 4. In pursuance of the Lahore Congress resolution of the Christi:QaS 1929, of the Provincial Congress opened its ampaign in February and gradually intensified it in the following months. Salt Satyagraha was commenced in April in Berar, but won died a natural death. Violent speeches with. much abuse of the Police were made in many parts of. the province and spasmodic liquor and cloth shop picketing was indulged in. Agitation incre~sed in June with incitement to the Police to leave their duty. Picketing also increased, resulting, in places, in cases of violence. The hope that the advent of the monsoon would cool the ardour of the agitators and their disciples was not realized, and mass Forest Satyagraha commenced in July in Berar and soon spread almost all over the Province, and in many places violence in a serious form occurred. In many of the larger towns certain elements lost all regard for law and order, and the Police had a very difficult time, having abuse and vilification poured upon the'm by agitators and irresponsibles of the town, while the teasing of point duty constables became an amusement of small boys.· 5. The earliest serious clash occurred when the Police had to open fire at a riotous mob at the ware house in Jubbulpore.