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Darjeeling unrest: One police officer critically injured as GJM claims death of 2 supporters

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 6/17/2017 6:05:17 PM

“Police did not fire. What is happening today is deep rooted conspiracy. Bombs and arms was stockpiled. It is sad that one assistant commandant is critically injured," said Mamata Banerjee.

On the third day of the indefinite strike, Darjeeling turned into a war zone. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha claimed two of their cadres were in police firing. Meanwhile, one police officer is in critical condition after being attacked with sharp weapons. Various areas in the Hills saw pitched battle between GJM supporters and police as four vehicles were torched. As police allegedly resorted to firing and lobbing tear gas shells after lathi charge, GJM workers hurled bombs and petrol bombs on policemen, apart from throwing stones.
“Police did not fire. What is happening today is deep rooted conspiracy. Bombs and arms was stockpiled. It is sad that one assistant commandant is critically injured. We are shocked and sad. They are not listening to the court, which passed a verdict which said bandh is illegal,” said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a press conference in Kolkata.
“I will request to central government not to indulge them. There is connection between Northeast insurgency and the agitators. There is the hand of some country. I will not like to reveal,” she added. “Home secretary will hold an all party meeting on 22 June to bring peace in the Hills in Siliguri, Anyone can talk with anyone but first bandh should be lifted,” she said.
“Peaceful and democratic rallies were taken out by women Morcha. Bengal government autocratic government fired on us and two of our people were martyred,” said Bimal Gurung in a recorded message in Nepali.
“Two of our people have died after police resorted to firing. Five persons are injured. The police is lying when he is saying that police did not fire. Are we terrorist.? Police fired on us when we took out rally for Gorkhaland in a democratic way” said Binay Tamang, assistant general secretary of GJM.
Kiren Tamang assistant commandant of IRB was attacked by GJM workers and sustained critical injuries. It was in the morning when Gorkha Nari Morcha, the women’s wing brought out a rally in Singmari. They were carrying national flags and chanting pro-Gorkhaland slogans.
A contingent of policemen placed there tried to stop the rally. When GJM workers tried to walk towards the District Magistrates office, suddenly police resorted to lathi charge on the women.
GJM workers started to pelt stones at the police, who lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Within minutes the area turned into a battle zone. GJM workers lobbed crude bombs while gunshots were also heard.
Express team with some other media persons were caught in between. Some media persons were sick due to the tear gas. The Express team somehow got shelter in the house of a local resident as the clash went on outside.
Police was seen receding back and stone pelters targeted them from hills tops. One by one, four vehicles including a truck belining to police was torched. Large number of GJM supporters also gathered at the hills tops and pelted stones. Clashes went on for three hours.
Meanwhile, clashes broke out in other parts of Hills, including Chowbazar and Ghum railway station. Army was called in who cordoned and patrolled the disturbed areas.
Later after GJM workers receded, media persons moved out of the shelter.
Tension prevails in various areas of the Hills, with heavy deployment of police and CRP personnel.
Police detained Vikram Rai, son of MLA GJM Amar Rai in the morning but set him free after interrogation. He was picked up from his home in Darjeeling at around midnight. According to police sources, he was picked up in connection to clashes which broke out in Darjeeling on June 8, while chief minister Mamata Banerjee was holding her cabinet meeting. Vikram, a former journalist, works with various media houses.
Meanwhile, GJM leadership claimed that police raided the house of Binay Tamang assistant general secretary of GJM and it’s spokesperson and allegedly ransacked it. “At around 3 am, my house was vandalized by police. In the same manner they ransacked theb house of our party chief Bimal Gurung. There is a virtual emergency in the Hills,” said Binay Tamang.