1 “ REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
2 EArt ' Jn Rajputdna, as in the c¢s-Indus Mines Division, the very
3 severe famine, which prevailed during the year, caused an
4 increase of smuggling.
5 At the Sdmbhar Lake, 72 persons were arrested, compared
6 with 24 during 1898-99, which was in itself a year of scarcity.
7 All persons who appeared to have been impelled to theft by the
8 pressure of want, were released and placed upon relief works.
9 In the Pachbadra Division there were 134 arrests com-
10 pared with 66 during 1898-99. At the Pachbadra Source, there
11 were 5 cases in which 11 persons were concerned, and in one
12 of these a party of professional Bhil thieves organized a raid
13 on the salt heaps and removed 5 maunds 32 sérs of salt. They
14 were followed up with the aid of trackers, arrested and
15 punished. In the Luni salt tract 123 persons were arrested
16 ‘and of these 80 were released by the Department. The pres-
17 ‘sure of the famine was very severe in the delta of the Luni
18 river, and great care was taken to‘refrain from punishing
19 persons who committed theft owing to want. Only professional
20 thieves, and others who were not affected by the scarcity, were
21 prosecuted.
22 Two arrests were made at the Didwdna Salt Source; one,
23 person was a salt manufacturer and the other a professional
24 thief. Thefts of salt at this source are rare.
25 . In the Internal Branch there were 972 arrests compared
26 with 1,153 during 1898-99. Five hundred and thirty persons
27 were released by the Department and 442 were prosecuted.
28 Three hundred and nine persons were arrested for the manu-
29 facture of earth salt, 90 for the possession of illicit salt, and
30 573 for producing salt illicitly on licensed saltpetre factories
31 and for manufacturing saline substances without licenses. One
32 hundred and thirty-five maunds of illicit salt and 29 maunds of *
33 saline substances were seized. .
34 No case of smuggling occurred at the Sulténpur Salt Works
35 in the Panjab. © B+ pile 38
36 Reasons for the release The reasons for the releasé by the Department of persons
37 of pertons by the Dee Sharged with offences were the following :—
38 partment.
39 1898-99. 1899-1900,
40 No. No.
41 Infirm persons, pregnent women, children, and persons 538 135
42 impelled to theft by the pressure of want.
43 For making or being in possession of less than one 588 ats
44 sér of salt.
45 On proof of ignorance or inadvertence, or for want of 111 86
46 sufficient evidexce, 7
47 Total we = 787 665
48 Punishments awarded by 66. Appendix VII gives full particulars in regard to the
49 cerminal Gems: punishments inflicted by Criminal Courts on persons prose-
50 euted to conviction. Anabstract of the information is given
51 below :—~
52 ET
53 Imprisoned in default of
54 Number of Imprisoned Fined, payment of fine.
55 persons ine |[————— Nomber of ao
56 Year, prisoned with- ere
57 . For one | For more jpersons fined. For one For more
58 out ne option) month and| than is P Re. 10 and sir a month and | than one.
59 orene: under, montb. ‘ under, month.
60 1898-99 its 229 186 93 70 84 10
61 1899-1900. 284 189 95 72 52 9
62 Compared, with 1898-99, there was little difference in the
63 punishments awarded. The action of the courts was suff-
64 ciently deterrent.
65 ( 42 }