[Sharon]

Direct Action Day (16 August 1946), also known as the Great Calcutta Killing, was a day of widespread riot and manslaughter in the city of Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) in the Bengal province of British India.

The region most affected by the violence was the densely populated sector of the city bounded by Park Circus and Lower Circular Road on the south, CIT Road on the east, Vivekananda Road on the north and Strand Road on the west. Official estimate put the casualties at 4,000 dead and 100,000 injured. Other sources put the death toll at 7,000–10,000. Some authors have claimed that most of the victims were Hindus. However, others indicate appreciably more Muslims were killed than Hindus.

Skirmishes between the communities continued for almost a week. Finally, on 21 August, the Muslim Laegue govt was dismissed and Bengal was put under Viceroy's rule. 5 battalions British troops, supported by 4 battalions Indians and Gurkhas, were deployed in the city. Lord Wavell alleged that more British troops ought to have been called in earlier, and there is no indication that more British troops were not available. The rioting reduced on 22 August.

[durt]

[corpsehands]

gotta love the vultures

[kayo brizzle]

Looks like hell on earth.

[HairyGrape]

Geez.

[Sharon]

These images are amazing. The vultures add to the horror of the situation. I see skeletonized bodies around too

[pankajsharma]

sharon do u have any more pics..? great post tho

[Sharon]

Originally Posted by pankajsharma ↗

sharon do u have any more pics..? great post tho

I'm sorry I don't Panka, these were all from a site dedicated to black and white Indian photographs. You may come across more if you do a Google Image search on the event

If you find more, please feel free to add them. The collection above are all from one specific series so I don't want to mix them up with other styles of photographs.

[collaredgirl65]

[Pogrom]

Bring out your dead!