Bandh peaceful, police detain GJMM leader .....‘Relocate held GJMM men’

SNS, Kurseong / Siliguri, 5 August 2013:Tension was brewing at Kurseong town after police detained Mr Anit Thapa ~ a GJMM leader and GTA member ~ since this evening though the third day of the indefinite bandh was peaceful. Hundreds of GJMM supporters assembled in front of the Kurseong police station. 

Virtually GJMM supporters gheraoed the police station while the party’s top leadership in Kurseong started interacting with the police officials inside the station protesting against detention of the GTA member. In order to maintain law and order and peace, huge Central forces were deployed in front of Kurseong police station and adjoining vulnerable areas in Kurseong town. Sources said police arrested Mr Anit Thapa on charges of road blockades during the bandh and violation of rule of law in several times in Kurseong. 

“He was arrested on charges of some pending cases during movement of separate statehood in the Darjeeling Hills. Police had registered cases against him under non-bailable Section of the IPC,” a senior police officer said. 

According to eyewitness account, the GJMM supporters started demanding release of the GTA member from police custody around 8.30 p.m. The situation would have turned violent if police fail to pacify the agitators. 

On the other hand, the Trinamul Congress activists took out a procession in protest against the conspiracy of division of Bengal and separatist movement in Siliguri this evening. Speaking to reporters, the north Bengal development minister Mr Gautam Deb, said the state government would act strongly against the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland. 

On the sidelines of a peace rally in Siliguri, Mr Deb said the message of the rally was that all people were united against the ‘conspiracy’ of demanding the separate state. 

“Who is Bimal Gurung? We want to give the message of peace and development,” Mr Deb said.

‘Relocate held GJMM men’

Kolkata, 5 August: State home department has ordered the Darjeeling district administration to relocate the 42 odd Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) activists, arrested in the Hills in the past three days in connection with arson and damage of government properties, to correctional homes in Siliguri and Jalpaiguri. An official order to this effect was issued this afternoon.