Continuous attack of Sikkim vehicles on

Prashant Acharya, EOI, SILIGURI, 29 Jun 2017: A Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) government bus was vandalized at New Jalpaiguri on Thursday again after a goods truck was looted on Wednesday in Siliguri.

The driver of the government bus said that as soon as the passengers alighted from the bus a group of people started vandalizing the bus with lathis and stones. He said that he managed to flee from the mob to save his life.

Meanwhile All Sikkim Truck Drivers Association has declared an indefinite truck strike through a press release issued on Thursday.

According to the press release it stated that the trucks plying to Siliguri, West Bengal to ferry goods are being vandalized and the drivers' lives are at threat. We have decided to go for an indefinite strike from today itself. We took stock of the June 28th incident of Siliguri and after proper fact finding we took the decision to go for indefinite strike.

The strike will continue unless the government of West Bengal provides us complete assurance that no Sikkim vehicles are vandalized in Siliguri.

There were few trucks that have plied to Siliguri due to lack of information or delay in availing information so we appeal the State authorities to make proper arrangements for their safe passage to Sikkim from Siliguri.

Today they will submit a memorandum to the CS, Home Secretary, Transport secretary, DGP, DC and SP requesting the authorities to take appropriate steps and speak to their counterparts in smooth operation of the Highway.

An appeal will also be made to the Centre to look into the matter seriously as Sikkim is a border state and it’s only connect with a lifeline that is NH10. Arrangements must be met to keep the highway open.

A demand has been put forward to the State police and authorities concerned to arrest the culprits at the earliest and take stringent action so that no such act is repeated in near future.

Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has also condemned the attack and asked the West Bengal government to take appropriate action against the culprits.

Bhim Dahal, party spokesperson said, “The incident of vandalizing four vehicles including government buses is condemnable. I request the security agencies of New Jalpaiguri area to take strict action against the culprits and provide safety and security for Sikkim vehicles.