Bengal DGP says situation 'under control' in Hills after 2-day visit

MP | 26 July 2017 10:43 PM |Darjeeling: Surajit Kar Purkayastha, Director General of Police, West Bengal, after a two-day tour of the Darjeeling Hills, Kalimpong and Dooars, declared that the situation is "under control. "

The Hills are on the boil with the demand of Gorkhaland being resurrected. An agitation is underway with an indefinite bandh being clamped in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills since June 15. There have been near regular incidents of violence, arson and vandalism. 

On his way back to Kolkata, the DGP talking to media persons at the Bagdogra Airport stated: "I visited Darjeeling, Mirik, Kalimpong and Dooars. In these places I held meetings with administrative and police officials. The situation is under control." The police top brass stated that the government along with the police wanted peace to prevail in this region. "We are always with the law abiding citizens. We will stand by them. However, action will be initiated against all those who violate law. We have being doing so and will continue to do so." Read This - This year

He, however, sidestepped questions regarding the deployment of additional forces in the Hills or whether Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders implicated in various cases would be arrested in future. 

A month into the bandh, a West Bengal government report claimed that losses incurred is to the tune of Rs 355 crore. The report states that 54 vehicles have been damaged or torched; 73 government offices and buildings have been damaged or torched and 113 government personnel including police have suffered injuries. 

The report submitted at the Calcutta high court on July 15 stated that violence along with destruction in the Hills continues unabated. Eight agitators have been allegedly killed in police firings.

(Source & Courtesy: http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bengal-dgp-says-situation-under-control-in-hills-after-2-day-visit-254485)