Sikkim olive branch - 'Will cooperate, if procedures are followed'

Sudhakar Rao, ADG Sikkim

TT, Calcutta, Sept. 3: Sikkim police today acknowledged that Bengal police had sought their assistance to conduct raids on leaders of the Darjeeling agitation but added that two police teams from Bengal had already started operations by then.

But efforts appeared to be underway to defuse the inter-state tension, with a Sikkim official saying a decision had been taken at the highest level, including chief minister Pawan Chamling, to cooperate with the Bengal government.

"All we wanted was they should have followed proper procedures and come with proper documentation," the official said. "We are not harbouring criminals and do not intend to do so, all we are stressing is that they should come with a clear mandate so that we can extend cooperation," said the official.

This is the first time the police in Sikkim, where a BJP ally is in power, have accepted that Bengal police did seek help although the exact time is still a matter of debate. So far, Sikkim police had been saying that they were not informed of the Bengal swoop that led to the detention of at least six Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders who were not allowed to be taken out of Sikkim.

Siddh Nath Gupta, the additional director-general of police in north Bengal, told The Telegraph today: "The operation was carried out following the existing rules and guidelines mentioned in the CrPC and the courts."

Yesterday, a letter had emerged, showing that Bengal police had sought in writing assistance from Sikkim police during the raids. The letter, dated August 31, carries the receipt date of September 1 but does not show any time. The raids were launched a little after 12 noon.

Until this letter became public, Sikkim police did not disclose that their assistance was sought and simultaneous raids were conducted. The dispute now is not whether Sikkim police were informed but whether it happened before or during the raids.

Today, a senior police officer in South Sikkim's Namchi, where the Bengal police carried out the raids, confirmed the Bengal letter was handed over to his force.

"Around 12.15pm that day (Friday), a CID team (from Bengal) lead by an officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police met the station house office in Namchi. We were ready to provide assistance and discussions were on. However, two independent teams from Darjeeling and Kalimpong had already started the operations without our knowledge," he said.

"We came to know about the raids only when we received information that people were being arrested at gunpoint. Later, we were also informed about a person having been shot nearby," the officer added.

Another officer, Sikkim law and order ADG A. Sudhakar Rao, told the media in Gangtok that the raids were conducted without any information. "The Bengal CID team's request was still being discussed when another team had already arrested some persons," he said.

The Morcha's meeting at a private resort in Namchi was scheduled to start at 11.30am that day and was attended by party chief Bimal Gurung, whom the police in Bengal had booked under provisions of the UAPA.

Bengal police officers said they did not want to indulge in further nitpicking but some sources pointed out that inter-state police forces, left to themselves, cut through red tape and cooperate with one another, especially in developing situations that call for a quick response.

"Often in case of a hot pursuit, there is no time to inform or seek permission. In that case, the local police is involved only after the arrest," said an IPS officer.

Sikkim police said lack of documents was another reason that hobbled Bengal police.

"Of the six people they had detained, two were from Sikkim and they had to be released immediately. Another two were also let off by them for the same reason. Only Savitri Rai was arrested and she too has been granted interim bail," a Sikkim police officer said.

ADG CID Rajesh Kumar said Bengal police would try to resolve the matter with their Sikkim counterpart.

"A team of the CID will again go to Sikkim tomorrow to seek transit remand of Savitri Rai. We have specific information that Bimal Gurung and his men are hiding in Sikkim. We will again write to Sikkim police seeking further assistance," he said.