DARJEELING HILLS: Panighatta flares up after GJMM, GNLF clash

FROM THE STATESMAN

Police fire tear gas at protestors in Panighatta on Friday.

PANIGHATTA, 10 JULY: Tension, smouldering in Panighatta since last Wednesday following a clash between the GJMM and GNLF supporters at Mirik and Panighatta, erupted in a major conflagration today. Several people, including police personnel, sustained injuries today when Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) supporters clashed with police at Panighata under Mirik police station in Kurseong sub-division of this district. At least 39 people ~ 19 belonging to the GJMM and the rest to the GNLF ~ were arrested.

The police had to resort to lathicharge and lobbing teargas shells to control the mob. Several vehicles were damaged and about 25 police personnel and some GJMM activists including the outfit’s vice president Mr Pradip Pradhan were injured in the violence. They have been admitted to different hospitals of the region. The administration has promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC till 13 July in the area.

GJMM general secretary Mr Roshan Giri alleged the outfit had organised a peaceful rally at Panighagta when petrol bombs were hurled at the supporters from the house of GNLF leader Mr Rajen Mukhiya. Mr Mukhiya was later arrested. GJMM activists also tried to set ablaze Mr Mukhiya’s house but were prevented by police

Meanwhile, the GJMM has called for an indefinite strike in the hill areas to protest the incident and demanded immediate arrest of Mr Mukhiya. They also demanded the immediate transfer of the inspector general of police, north Bengal, Mr KL Tamta, the additional superintendent of police, Kurseong, Mr AK Chaturvedi and sub divisional police officer, Kurseong, Mr R Singh.

“We are issuing the state government an ultimatum to act on our demand by the noon of 13 July. If it fails to comply, we will stage an indefinite bandh in the hills,” the GJMM president said. He also instructed the tourists to leave the hills at the earliest to avoid inconvenience in case of any eventuality. A senior GJMM leader Mr Binay Tamang said the party vice president Mr Pradip Pradhan was injured in the purported police atrocities. “The GNLF leader Mr Mukhia and his associates started pelting stones in a pre-planned design to foil the proposed party rally,” he said.

Rejecting the allegation, the GNLF leader Mr Mukhia said that the police had arrested him to prove that they were not biased. “My house was attacked with petrol bombs, but the police arrested me. The police did it to balance the arrest of the arsonists,” he complained.

The ASP, Kurseong, Mr A K Chaturvedi said that a large contingent of police personnel had been deployed although tension still prevailed.