GJM intensifies stir, another 32 Gorkhaland personnel arrested in Darjeeling

PTI, 7 August 2013: Another 32 'Gorkhaland Personnel' (GLP) were arrested in the Darjeeling hills as the indefinite bandh by the GJM demanding a separate Gorkhaland state on the lines of Telangana, entered the fifth day on Wednesday. 

The 32 members of GLP, a volunteer force set up by the GJM, were arrested last night for cases of arson in the hills during the bandh and in old cases, taking the total number of arrests to 143, police sources said. A close aide of GJM President Bimal Gurung Anit Thapa was earlier arrested on August five in old cases. 

West Bengal Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, who was in Darjeeling to take stock of the situation had to walk from the office of the superintendent of police to that of the district magistrate on the Kacheri Road during the day because GJM supporters were squatting and shouting slogans. 

Banerjee, who met Gorkha Territorial Administration Principal Secretary Ramdas Meena at the Lalkothi on Tuesday, said that the state government was cooperating to keep peace and maintain law order in hills. He said that he would submit a report to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on his return. 

GJM supporters sat on the roads shouting slogans in Darjeeling, Mirik, Sukhipokri, Kalimpong and Kurseong. Five companies of the CRPF that were in the hills were on patrol in the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, official sources said. 

On Tuesday the state government transferred District Magistrate Soumitra Mohan to Burdwan district. Joint Secretary Finance, Puneet Yadav, would take over as DM, Darjeeling. 
Meanwhile, GJM President Bimal Gurung, who was to leave for Delhi during the day to meet Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, did not do so saying that he did not receive an appointment.
"I will not go to Delhi now, but only after I get an appointment with Rahul Gandhi," Gurung said.

He said that the indefinite bandh would continue, but would be relaxed for the entire day on August 15.

Gurung claimed that there was sufficient stock of food with the GJM for three months which would be distributed among the poor.

On the arrest of GLP members, he claimed that this was being done as 'revenge' by the state government.

"The state government had not commented on the formation of the GLP, but is now arresting them out of revenge because of the indefinite bandh," Gurung said.

Asked how the agitation would continue since GJM leaders were being arrested, he said, "They will participate in the agitation after release."

GLP men arrested In a late night raid
Subhro Niyogi, TNN, Kolkata: The Darjeeling police arrested 23 Gorkhaland Personnel, the police wing of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, and confiscated weapons from Hill Cart Road in Darjeeling. Police confiscated 17 khukhuris (traditional Nepali daggers) from the possession of the GLPs, all males in their twenties. The commandant or head of GLP was also among those arrested.