Another arrest in Trinamool assault case

Deep Gazmer, TNN | Mar 8, 2013, DARJEELING: Police on Wednesday night arrested one more Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (GJYM) supporter in connection with the attack on two Trinamool Congress leaders in Kalimpong. Raids are on to nab 25 others named in the FIR filed at the Kalimpong police station. 

Among five persons arrested so far, BijoyChhetri and DilipPaswan have been taken into police custody for further interrogation. 

AnitChhetri, Manoj Singh and 30-year-old BikashRumtel (the last person to be arrested) have been remanded in judicial custody. Chhetri and Singh will have to be produced in the court on March 20. On Wednesday afternoon, Kalimpong sub-division convener ChewangBhutia and Bruno Lepcha, a senior Trinamool leader, were allegedly attacked by armed GJYM cadres. 

Apparently, TMC supporters had gathered at a hotel for an indoor meeting when they were attacked. 

With the situation in the Hills getting volatile, the state government has requisitioned for Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) to be deployed in Kailmpong sub-division, "Yes, one platoon of the RAF and two of the IRB are coming to Darjeeling by Thursday. 

However, the situation is under control in Kalimpong as we are continuously conducting raids to arrest more people,"said Darjeeling SPKunalAgarwal. 

Moreover, sources said that six companies of the CRPF have also been requisitioned. "The decision to send the central force has been taken by the Union government. The Darjeeling district administration has been asked to submit report of the situation. There has been sporadic incident of political violation in the Hills of late," the source said. 

Surprisingly, the central government's decision to send the CRPF comes days after GJM general secretary Roshan Giri brushed aside the development. Giri and GJM president Bimal Gurung, along with the three Hills MLAs, are camped in Delhi to meet President Pranab Mukherjee, union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and other senior UPA leaders, to gauge first-hand report on the development in the Telengana region. 

GJM leaders alleged that the state government was conspiring to create terror in the Hills by deploying forces.

"There is no trouble in the Hills whatsoever. The deployment of security forces is a ploy of the state government to create panic and terror," complained Jyoti Kumar Rai, the GJM assistant secretary. 

The Kalimpong attack incident was preceded by a clash between GJM and Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) supporters near Simulbari tea estate in Sukna on March 4. Six GJM supporters were reported injured in that clash.