GJM men, police clash in Darjeeling

Darjeeling, July 5 

GJM activists today clashed with police in Kalimpong district as the indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills entered the 21st day.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) secretary Binay Tamang claimed the police fired several rounds, leading to bullet injuries to three activists, including an ex-Army official, but police rubbished the charge.

On June 17, GJM activists had clashed with police in Singhmari area here in which one of them was killed.

Today’s clash was triggered by pelting of stones and bottles at the police by GJM youth supporters who were participating in a rally in support of a Gorkhaland state, forcing the police to fire tear gas and use batons to disperse the rallyists. A ticket counter of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation was also set ablaze by GJM activists in Kalimpong.

Reacting to Tamang’s claim, ADG (law and order) Anuj Sharma said, “The allegation of police firing is completely baseless. The police didn’t fire a single shot. We have no reports of firing.”

“The GJM took out a rally here and all of a sudden they started pelting us with stones and bottles. We had to use force to disperse the mob. The situation in the area is tense but is under control. The police and central forces are patrolling the streets,” a senior police official of Kalimpong said.

Kalimpong, which was earlier a sub-division of Darjeeling, was declared a full-fledged state in February. Kalimpong is about 55 km from Darjeeling. In the morning, GJM men hurled petrol bombs at a TMC office in Kalimpong. Firefighters were called in, but by the time they arrived the ground floor of the party office had been gutted.

Meanwhile, all eyes are now focused on an all-party meeting slated for tomorrow in Darjeeling to decide the next course of action. — PTI