Morcha attack duo set free

TT, Darjeeling, April 17: Two members of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha who were arrested yesterday for allegedly vandalising the house of GNLF leader Bhanu Lama were set free today though they have been charged under non-bailable sections. 

Pema Pradhan, 40, and Vikram Sherpa, 37, were arrested last night and they were granted bail today by the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Darjeeling. 

Lama, who had represented Peshok-Lopchu seat in the DGHC, filed an FIR with the police yesterday, alleging that 25-30 men and women had raided his apartment situated along Dr Zakhir Hussian Road without any provocation. The GNLF leader, who had been inactive for the past four years, named three Morcha workers in the FIR. 

They were Pradhan, Tilak Chhetri, the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha president of Darjeeling town, and Deepak Thapa. 

The law enforcers said Chhetri and Thapa were absconding. The arrested duo were booked under various sections of the IPC for vandalism, mischief and damaging property along with a non-bailable section of 379 for theft. 

“The mob had taken away working tools of the carpenters renovating the flat,” said a police officer. Minutes before raiding 

Lama’s flat around 12.45pm, the same mob allegedly assaulted Deepak Gurung, the former president of the GNLF Darjeeling branch committee, in front of his house.