Two shot at, finger at Kalimpong councillor Local people blocked NH10 for around three hours till 7.30pm

Still of a video showing a gun inside Kunal’s vehicle

Vivek Chhetri , TT, 11.03.20, Darjeeling: Two persons suffered bullet injuries when a group of youths allegedly led by Kalimpong municipality councillor Kunal Pradhan opened fire at Melli on Tuesday evening.

Local people blocked NH10, the arterial link between Sikkim and the rest of the country, for around three hours till 7.30pm.

The protesters demanded that Kunal be arrested within 24 hours or else, they would resume the blockade.

Melli is about 20km from Kalimpong.

The injured are Puran Mangar, 40 and Pemba Tamang, 26. While Mangar has been referred to a Siliguri hospital, Tamang is being treated in Kalimpong.

A video purportedly showing a gun inside Kunal’s vehicle was widely circulated in social media.

Sources said Kunal was eyeing the control of contract works in the area.

Kalimpong district police chief Hari Krishna Pai said: “We are exploring two or three angles. At this moment, we are waiting for a complaint. Even if no complaint is filed, we will start a suo moto case.”

Pradhan was among the first batch of municipal councillors to join the Binay Tamang camp of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha after the split in the party in 2018.

Some months ago, there were allegations of Kunal attacking Kalimpong municipal chairman Rabi Pradhan at the busy Main Road of the hill town.

Tamang said: “Kunal Pradhan was involved in a skirmish with residents of Teesta bazar on January 29. The incident took place in my presence and we had then suspended him for three months.”

After Tuesday’s incident, the Tamang camp held an emergency meeting and announced Kunals’ expulsion.

“We demand that police arrest Kunal Pradhan and his associates within 24 hours. There is no place for such people in our party,” said Tamang.