Sticks, stones at Morcha meet

The police lathi-charge at the Morcha meeting. (Passang Yolmo)

TT, Calcutta, Sept. 8: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters allegedly hurled stones at a police team that raided a meeting venue in Darjeeling today to arrest those wanted in cases of violence, prompting the cops to resort to baton-charge.

The Morcha denied that its supporters had pelted the police with stones and alleged that the cops had resorted to the baton-charge without any provocation.

Hundreds of Gorkhaland supporters had started a march from near the Darjeeling railway station and converged on Chowk Bazaar where a public meeting was held around 11.30am.

The police said they had information that people named in FIRs - registered against incidents of violence during the current round of the Gorkhaland agitation - were present at the meeting.

"We received the information that people named in different FIRs were present there and so raided the venue. Stones were thrown at us, following which we had to lob teargas shells to disperse the crowd," said a senior police officer in Darjeeling.

Pro-Gorkhaland rallies are being organised in Darjeeling almost everyday since the June 15 shutdown.

A Morcha leader present at today's meeting denied the police officer's version.

"A woman leader had just started her speech when the team from Sadar police station reached the venue and resorted to a lathi-charge. The crowd had a number of women and elderly people," the Morcha leader said.

"People started fleeing the spot. It was only after the baton-charge that some youths hurled a few stones," he added.

The clash today disrupted the relative calmness that prevailed in the hill town for a week or so.

Both lobbies of the Morcha condemned the police action today. The party split into two groups after Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa were expelled for announcing a pause to the strike.

"We condemn the lathi-charge on a peaceful gathering. There are calls from the government to maintain peace and bring normality back to the hills. But such police action will not help. People take to the streets because they believe in the statehood demand," Darjeeling MLA Amar Singh Rai said.

Tamang, who fell out with Morcha chief Bimal Gurung recently, said: "We condemn the lathi-charge on innocent people. To bring peace and normality back to the hills, the administration, too, has to show restraint."