Darjeeling hills closed down spontaneously on Saturday to protest Monday’s murder of schoolgirl in Siliguri

Strike call had been made by Bikramaadi Bangdel Rai, from little-known organisation Gorkha Sewa Sena (GSS)

The BJP takes out a protest rally in Siliguri on Saturday against the 16-year-old schoolgirl’s murder : Picture by Passang Yolmo

Vivek Chhetri, Bireswar Banerjee, TT, Darjeeling/Siliguri, 27.08.23 :  The Darjeeling hills closed down spontaneously on Saturday to protest Monday’s murder of a schoolgirl in Siliguri recently for the first time since the 104-day strike that started in April 2017.

Unlike most strikes in the region, there were no picketers to enforce the strike on the ground. Yet, the closure was near total.

The strike call had been made by Bikramaadi Bangdel Rai, from a little-known organisation Gorkha Sewa Sena (GSS).

Rai called for the 12-hour closure from 6am across Darjeeling hills to protest the killing of a 16-year-old schoolgirl who was bludgeoned to death on August 21 allegedly by a 22-year-old for resisting an attempt of sexual assault. Police have arrested the accused and are probing the case

Following Rai’s call, Opposition parties including the Hamro Party, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Gorkha National Liberation Front and Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists also supported the strike.

However, their cadres were not seen on the streets on Saturday.

“It is a sentimental issue as a girl from the community was killed. The strike has been spontaneous,” said a Darjeeling resident.

Chalak Mahasangh, a transport body in Darjeeling hills, on Friday maintained they were against strikes. It had to face a major backlash on social media for their “inhuman” decision.

On Saturday, people from different walks of life brought out rallies in different parts of the hills, including Darjeeling, Bijanbari and Peshok.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) led by Anit Thapa, which had “nothing to say” about the strike, was also criticised for not extending full support to the strike.

Amar Lama, the general secretary of the BGPM, however, wrote a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking a speedy trial of the case through a special court.

Sources said that some tea gardens remained open while the North Bengal State Transport Corporation buses and DHR toy trains plied on Saturday.

BJP rally

Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, participated in a protest rally organised by the party in Siliguri on Saturday.

“We should not allow any more of our children to become a victim of such heinous crimes. We have to demand accountability of the state government, the police and the administration,” Bista, who joined the march of over 300 people, said.