Police arrest Gurung camp leader

SNS, KALIMPONG/SILIGURI, 29 JANUARY 2019: Ajit Roka, an activist of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha faction led by Bimal Gurung, was arrested from his residence near BT College, Chandraloke, in Kalimpong today. Sources said he was picked up in connection with a court case related to the Gorkhaland agitation of 2017.

During the 144 -day Hill shutdown in 2017, Mr Roka had participated in a hunger strike (fast -unto-death) for 25 days. He was today "taken for interrogation" by the police around 7 in the morning, family sources said.

"The police told the family that Roka had been a witness in a case and that he had failed to appear in court at the given dates," a family source said.

While the family reached the police station, Mr Roka had been sent for medical examination and he was later produced in the court, which tagged him under sections 448 (case of house trespassing), 415 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) and 34 (acts done by several persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, it is learnt.

The court sent him in jail custody for 14 days, while he will be produced in the court again after 14 days, on 11 February, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Gurung faction of the Morcha issued a statement and condemned the arrest and said it was a move to terrorise people ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

While he was not arrested all this while when he was in Kalimpong, the arrest is meant to terrorise people and play a low standard of political game during the elections," a statement issued by the leader of the Morcha faction, Lopsang Lama, said to day.The statement was sent in the social media group administered by the Morcha faction.