4 months ago
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Retired Indian Army serviceman M.G. Devasahayam connected Friday debunked claims successful the latest Tamil film Parasakthi that 200 radical were changeable dormant by the equipped forces successful Pollachi during the anti-Hindi imposition agitation.
Mr. Devasahayam, who served successful the Madras Regiment and was posted successful the Coimbatore portion during the agitation successful 1965, said specified claims were “lies”. He aboriginal joined the Indian Administrative Service.
Speaking to The Hindu over the telephone from Bengaluru, Mr. Devasahayam recalled that helium was a “young Lieutenant” successful the Madras Regiment, which was comprised wholly of South Indians and mostly Tamils. “We were not the alleged “Hindi army” butchering the Tamils,” helium said.
Recalling the events of February 11, 1965, Mr. Devasahayam said helium was returning to Maddukarai aft a crippled of shot with the Airforce team. “We were stopped by the Coimbatore constabulary from entering the city. The full Coimbatore marketplace was acceptable connected fire. That was erstwhile I realised the substance was precise serious. Our Commanding Officer said the Battalion was connected Stand 02 (on precocious alert), which meant it was to assistance civilian authorities. It was successful Tiruchengode wherever we saw the worst benignant of violence. One Sub-Inspector and 3 constables were burnt alive. We stayed successful Tiruchengode for a week and brought the concern nether control,” helium said.
However, what happened successful Pollachi was wholly the opposite. “We got different telephone from the Collector seeking assistance (in Pollachi). Usually, erstwhile the Army rolls in, the civilian assemblage withdraws. But successful Pollachi, possibly successful the vigor of the moment, they attacked the Army file and the police. We couldn’t springiness a warning. The firing lasted lone a fewer minutes. About 8-10 radical died and a akin fig were injured,” helium said.
When asked to clarify whether Light Machine Guns (LMGs) were utilized by the Madras Regiment, Mr. Devasahayam said, “If we had utilized the Machine Guns, which tin occurrence respective 100 rounds, radical would person died successful hundreds. The information is that we had carried a bolt-action .303 rifle, from which lone 1 slug tin beryllium fired astatine a time, and we would person fired lone 35 rounds.”
Asked astir the fig of troops that rolled into Pollachi, Mr. Devasahayam said, “There were astir 90 troops, but not each of them tin fire. The Commanding Officer would really telephone retired the sanction of the 1 who indispensable fire.”
The rumour astir hundreds of radical dying was owed to the “out of context” reporting that the Madras Regiment carried LMGs, erstwhile lone single-round rifles were used. Mr. Devasahayam added that an enquiry was ordered into the firing by the Army Headquarters. “I don’t recognize however specified misinformation could beryllium dispersed successful a movie that is seen by millions of people,” helium said.
