Darjeeling police to hold talent hunt

The final of the football tournament organised by the Darjeeling police in progress at Tukvar ground on Sunday 

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Mar 06, 2018, Darjeeling: Darjeeling police have decided to organise a mega talent hunt contest spread across eight venues, days after successfully conducting a football tournament carrying the highest prize money in the region, in an effort to improve police-public relation after normality has returned to the hills following three months of violence.

Darjeeling Rising Star-Pahari Pratiha Ko Khoj will have a separate singing and dance competitions.

"There will be two categories, one for competitors of the age-group 10-17 and the other for 18-32 years, in both the singing and dance competition," said Akhilesh Chaturvedi, the Darjeeling superintendent of police.

Registration will open at all police station, outposts and block offices of Darjeeling district from March 15 to 25, and auditions will start from March 31. The auditions will be held in Darjeeling, Mirik, Kurseong, Pulbazar, Sukhiapokhri, Rangli-Rungliot, Jorebunglow and Lodhama and this would be one of the most spread out event in the hills.

"After a series of auditions, the final will be held at Chowrastha in Darjeeling on April 28," said Chaturvedi.

In the senior categories of both the events, the winners will get a prize award of Rs 1.01 lakh, while the first and second runners will get an prize amounts of Rs 51,000 and 31,000, respectively. In the junior category (10-17 years), the winners will get Rs 51,000, while the second and third participants will get Rs 31,000 and 11,000.

"In all the categories, prizes will be given to the top ten finalists," said Chaturvedi.

The Darjeeling Police's decision to organise a talent hunt comes after it had successfully hosted the finals of Kanchenjungha Football Tournament at Tukvar, which was once Bimal Gurung's stronghold, last Sunday.

The tournament played in four constituencies, Tukvar, Badamatam, Lebong and Bijanbari, carried the highest prize money in a soccer tourney in the region. The winner received Rs 1.5 lakh, while the runner-ups took home a cheque for Rs 1 lakh.

The winners of each of the four constituencies also received Rs 50,000 in cash. The man of the series and the man of the match of the four intra-constituency final matches were also given bikes.

"The response of the public was tremendous. Police also organised a free medical checkup and medicines too were distributed for free. School children were also distributed school bags, tiffin boxes, water bottles, pencil boxes etc," said a police officer.

Just a few months back, police officers had said even children would shy away from the police but the situation has now changed. During the singing and dancing competitions, an awareness campaign on human trafficking in tea gardens and Safe Drive, Safe Life messages will also be held.