 In 1936 André Ménard (who later came back to India, in July 1950, as Governor of French settlements in India), the "chef de cabinet" and Secretary to the Governor's establishment, went into Bharati Mills to negotiate a settlement with striking workers, and was instead taken hostage pending fulfillment of their demands.Ramanayya was the police officer in charge of the area, and he knew that any aggressive act against the French would be a serious affair that could harm the workers' safety, so he acted deftly to defuse the situation.With a swift surprise raid he entered the mills and liberated Ménard without any harm to either side.