Darjeeling: Two arrested in youth activist Sudan Gurung assault case

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 13 May 2025, Darjeeling: The Darjeeling Police got a major breakthrough in the Sudan Gurung attack case with the arrest of two persons. Vivek Gurung and Ajit Rai were arrested and produced at the Darjeeling Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Monday. They have been remanded to police custody for three days. 

Sudan Gurung of the Trained Unemployed Youth Welfare Organisation was allegedly attacked in front of the Super Market in Darjeeling at around 8:30 pm on Thursday night. With head injuries, he is currently ailing at the Darjeeling Sadar Hospital. Based on a complaint lodged, police had initiated a case. “Ajit Rai (male, 36 years) of Singtam Gairi Gaon and Vivek Gurung (male, 32 years) were produced at the CJM Court on Monday. 

They have been charged under Sections 118(2)/109 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS.) They have been remanded to police custody for three days and will be produced on Thursday,” stated Pankaj Prasad, Assistant Public Prosecutor, while talking to Millennium Post. 

On Monday, police arrested Ajit Rai (male, 36 years) of Singtam Gairi Gaon based on CCTV footages. He confessed to the crime and admitted that he was assisting Vivek Gurung, the main accused. Police then raided Gurung’s house in Joruk Dhura, Singtam and arrested Vivek. Gurung had hit Sudan with an iron rod. 

The motive behind the attack is not clear yet. Police are investigating. Sources stated that on the day of the attack on May 8, Ajit Rai had been closely monitoring Sudan Gurung’s movements and reporting to Vivek Gurung. He was following Sudan from Gorkhey-Haat, the farmers’ market held every Thursday in Darjeeling. 

The attack on Gurung had raked up a political storm, with Opposition parties and apolitical organisations threatening to launch a series of protests if the culprits were not nabbed. Amid protest rallies and gherao of the Darjeeling Police Station, social activist Dipika Gurung had even threatened to give a bandh call. \

The Opposition parties, dubbing Sudan Gurung, a whistleblower in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration teacher recruitment case, lost no time in connecting the attack with this. Incidentally, a Calcutta High Court case is on regarding recruitment of teachers in the GTA. The High Court has questioned the legality of the appointment of around 313 teachers in 2019 by the GTA. 

The next date of hearing is June 17. 

Courtesy & source0 Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/darjeeling-two-arrested-in-youth-activist-sudan-gurung-assault-case-610385