Materials for bomb making recovered

The items seized in the raids. (Passang Yolmo)

TT, Calcutta, Sept. 8: Police recovered detonators and other bomb making materials from two places near Darjeeling last night with the seizures being linked to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

A few days back, too, the Darjeeling police had claimed to have busted an Improvised Explosive Device "workshop" at Dabaipani near Lebong.

"Following the recovery of explosives a few days ago and after cultivating source information, we conducted raids in Singla and Bannockburn last night and recovered items used for making explosives," said Akhilesh Chaturvedi, the superintendent of police, Darjeeling.

Singla and Bannockburn fall within a radius of 25km from Darjeeling town.

The police said batteries, a country made gun and bullets had also been found during the raids.

"Morcha leaders Dipen Mallay, Priyabardan Rai, Rikash Theeng from Pullbazar, Bhim Subba from Goke, Deven Sharma from Singmari and Dinesh Theeng are being probed in connection with the seizure," said a police officer.

The police said Dipen Mallay, an ex-GTA Sabha member, was a "personal assistant" of Bimal Gurung and had been "supervising different modules" behind the blasts.

Priyabardan is a central committee member of the Morcha.

No arrests were made in yesterday's raids.