The city had erupted in protests on this day following the arrest of Indian National Congress president Jawaharlal Nehru on April 14, in Allahabad, for breaking the salt law to participate in Gandhiji’s civil disobedience movement against the law. Violent protests broke out in Kolkata, Chittagong, Karachi, Peshawar and Madras, and the police fired on the protesters at many places.
The New York Times report on April 15, 1930, began in large, bold print: “Fierce riots in Calcutta with mobs barricaded; Ten Europeans injured; Outbreaks throughout day…”Police fought their way through “a mile of milling Gandhi followers”, workers were beaten in the street, an Englishwoman was stoned, a fireman was killed, trolleys and fire engines burned, overhead wires were cut and a general strike was called, the report claimed.
The main report said: “Fierce rioting in which one English woman was stoned and beaten by an infuriated mob broke out today and new riotsstarted again tonight in protest against the imprisonment of the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru...,” it added.
After the arrest, Gandhiji had said that Nehru had worked like a Trojan and his arrest was his “rest”. Nehru was sentenced to six months’ prison.