Clashes, protests intensify amid shutdown in India’s Darjeeling town

The protestors were killed when GJM activists opened fire.

Hundreds of women activists ratcheted up the demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland with slogans of “Gorkhaland Gorkhaland” holding aloft the tricolour.

Eight policemen were also injured in the violent clashes between the security forces and the pro-Gorkhaland supporters.

The alleged arrest comes a day after GJM leader Bimal Gurung’s house was raided by the police.

However, Amar Rai said his son has no political affiliations and he was released later.

Meanwhile, Singmari area in Darjeeling turned into a battleground on Saturday as GJM activists threw petrol bombs and stones at riot police, who in retaliation fired teargas shells and resorted to baton charge.

Coming down heavily on the GJM violence, Banerjee said: “This is a deep-rooted conspiracy”.

The situation remains tense as the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has entered the sixth day today.

Some police personnel and GJM activists were injured in the clash, the police said. Police did not fire rubber bullets or water cannons.

While Bimal Shashanker from Goke Busty and Sunil Rai from Kainjalay died in police firing in Singmari in Darjeeling, Mahesh Gurung was shot during a protest rally at Ghoom. Many police personnel are seriously injured.

Reacting to today’s violence, Tourism Minister Gautam Deb said, “The government will not accept the GJM’s hooliganism”.

Rohit Sharma, GJM MLA from Kurseong, Darjeeling, told The Sunday Guardian, “The call for an indefinite strike will be there till there are discussions and the Centre intervenes in the matter. So, instead of leaving these issues pending, a dialogue with people who are demanding has to be taken up as soon as possible”, she said.

Addressing a press conference, Bengal CM said that the state government was ready to cooperate with the agitators, but GJM is not even listening to the court order. “I appealed to all the Gorkhas to protest against torture”.

A state government official later said: “The problem has become acute as the area has some global borders from where arms were reportedly being smuggled into the hills for the past few months”.

Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee blamed Morcha of sharing ties with some terrorist organisations during meeting with representatives from various ethnic boards. “Don’t know from where they get support”, she said. He is said to be in critical condition. I challenge her (Mamata Banerjee) to stop the agitation in the hills. The iconic toy train service has also been suspended, officials said.

At least four people were killed on Saturday when police allegedly opened fire at stone pelters in trouble-torn Darjeeling, but Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee denied reports of police firing and blamed a “foreign country and terror groups” for stoking fire in the Hills.