Page 470 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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Oovernmont riflo3 (b) that he bo authorised to maintain
security on the Sirjan-Bandar Abbas road. The G.O.ODin­
sisted on seeing him in person before considering any
terms• Murad Ali did not obey the G.0.C*3 summons but in
earnest of his good intentions sent the G.O.C. six obsolete
a nd unstable rifles stating that ho would surrender moro
after final settlement of his case. Meanwhile the G.OjC.
decided that further discussions was futile and he immodi-
-a tely returned to Kerman to organise a punitive expedition
a gainst Mura d. Before the 0.0.C. loft, Murad is reported
to have threatened to revert to brigandage if his case were
not s ettled within five days. Some days later the G.O.C.
sent several companies of infantry and cavalry to Sirjan to
round up Mura d Ali and his followers. When Sarhang Hatemi
reached the neighbourhood of Bardsir he made contact with
Murad*s party. They offered no resistance but were reported
to have fled in a southerly direction to a mountain named
Kuh-i-Khersak about 10 miles from Balvard east of Sirjan
where they made a stand. Murad*s men were said to be in
possession of about 50 Brno rifles and 2 light machine guns.
Hatemi followed and succeeded in surrounding tho mountain
with tvro companies of infantry, one squadron of cavalry and
a strong mortor section. After a brisk action with no casual-
-ties on either side Haterai a ppears to have let Murad es-
-caoe. But he gave out that Murad had fled in a westerly
direction towards Fars. On the 17th July Murad was actually
to the north of Sirjan to see if there *yas any chance of
buying off the military, Later, however, well authenticated
reports showed that the G.0.C*s brother contacted Murad Ali
who agreed to pay him Rials 100,000/- amd to leave the dis-
-trict for a place between Rafsinjan and Yezd if the military
would call off operations. Murad*s men then got busy »col-
-lecting* the rials 100,000/- from local landowners and pea-
-sants who ha d already suffered financially by * entertaining*
Sha'ri and the military. Colonel Hatemi is also reported to
have acquired a quantity of carpets, and other valuables from
village headmen in return for not accusing them of colluboratiig
with Murad. As a final act in the comedy it was reported that
the G.O.C; offered to sell Hurad the ammunition said to have
been expended against him a t Rials 140/- per round. This to­
gether with spurious bills for petrol consumed, rations, wear
and tear of eq uipment, rounded off what must have been a most
lucrative expedition, Since then to the end of the year no
further news of Murad was received.

The following are the outstanding cases of robberies,
violence and captures etc. which occurred during the year.
1. Aqai Farzan whilst proceeding to Bandar Abbas was held
up by armed robbers who put his car out of action and relieved
him of Rials 50,000/- pf government money.
2. Bandits on the Bandar Abbas road held up an Iranian
postal truck on the 16th January at Jal-i-Mohammad Khan. The
truck was carrying a million and a half rials of government
money in bank notes. The bandits drove the truck six miles
off the road and decamped with all the cash. Later evidence
showed that they had previous knowledge of the money the
lorry was carrying. At the end of March, however, the gen-
-daroerie recovered about Rials 750,000/—
3. On the 17th January seven Buchakchis looted the
village of llusaffar Abad of Sirjan. This was believed to have
been a reprisal raid by Murad Ali for the hanging of his father
in lav*

In the first h«Zf of May a report from Baa stated that

l*w/-

A