DACCA: [The] death toll tonight [May 13] rose to 200 in the southern districts of East Pakistan with the discovery of more dead bodies following Tuesday’s devastating cyclone.

The exact number of injured could not be ascertained. However, it is believed to be running into four figures. Tuesday’s cyclone has rendered five lakhs of people homeless, killed thousands of cattle heads and razed to the ground 80 to 90 per cent of kutcha and semi-pucca houses in the areas.

The “Aman” and jute crops suffered heavily and trees of palm and [betel nuts] have been uprooted. Of all the districts, the Dacca district was the worst affected area. This district [has] never met such a devastating cyclone. The cyclone, blowing at a speed of 98 miles an hour, ripped through Dacca city for over six hours.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Karachi], the Bombay Police on Wednesday twice lathi-charged Moharram processionists at Dongri when they refused to stop beating their chests during the Zuljinnah procession, the “Times of India” reported. Beating of chests during the month of Moharram has been banned by the Commissioner of Police, Bombay.

The clash occurred when the police objected to and ordered the stoppage of the beating of chests by over 500 processionists. When the processionists went to the Police Station to lodge a complaint against the Police, the Police made another lathi charge on them. Four Muslims have been arrested on charge of “rioting and assaulting” public servants.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2015

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