Gorkhaland stir: Violence erupts, 2 arrested for attacking police

SILIGURI: After days of a lull, the Gorkhaland agitation turned violent once again on Saturday.

Surprising the administration, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters clashed with police not in the Darjeeling hills but at Sukna, not far from Siliguri town.

According to Darjeeling district administration sources, the supporters armed with knives, swords and traditional Khukris, forcibly tried to enter Siliguri with the demand that Siliguri be included in the proposed Gorkhaland.

One GJM supporter and three policemen were injured near Rongtong Bridge, about 12 km from Siliguri after police stopped GJM supporters from holding the rally.

The angry supporters started pelting stones at the police and damaged several vehicles.

The police resorted to a lathicharge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob which quickly turned violent.

Nitin Chettri, a GJM leader alleged that Ajay Chettri (30) sustained a severe injury when a teargas shell hit him in the head. The injured youth who had come from Garidhura, about 20 km to the north of Siliguri, was taken to hospital.

Two supporters were arrested for attacking the police and this added to the trouble.

The mob blocked the road and set car tyres on fire. The blockade was in place on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, the bandh called by 15 political parties and organisations based in the hills entered its 45th day on Saturday, making it the longest strike ever observed in support of a a separate state of Gorkhaland.

The longest one held by the Gorkha National Liberation Front in 1988, lasted 40 days. Though GJM observed bandh for 44 days in 2013 it was not continuous.

The strike was suspended a few times in between.

They are presently organising a sit-in demonstration on the Sukna-Siliguri road. The GJM leadership has claimed that the police have resorted to firing which was denied by the district administration.

A huge contingent of police and security forces has moved to the area to control the situation.

Normal life remained crippled in the Darjeeling hills due to the ongoing indefinite strike to press for separate Gorkhaland state. Barring medical shops, business establishments, restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges remained closed.

NITIN CHETTRI, A GJM LEADER ALLEGED THAT AJAY CHETTRI (30) SUSTAINED A SEVERE INJURY WHEN A TEARGAS SHELL HIT HIM IN THE HEAD