Eateries vandalised in Naxalbari for selling eggs

Darjeeling: An FIR was lodged at the Naxalbari police station in connection with the vandalizing of two eateries at the Chaat Puja Mela, Khemchighat, Naxalbari.

The FIR filed by the victim Nitai Rai stated three persons, namely Prakash Mishra, Rabiya and Tapas have been named. The FIR stated that Rai along with his friend Arjun Barman had set up the eateries at the Mela (fair) and were selling edibles.

At around 8 pm on Sunday, the three persons (named in the FIR) in inebriated state arrived at the eateries and vandalized them, throwing edibles at Rai and Barman. They roughed up his wife and son, also issuing the diktat that eggs cannot be sold at the fair.

"This is not the first time. For years I have been setting up a stall at the Chhat Puja fair. I had paid the committee also and had necessary permission. We set up shop and people visited the eateries throughout the evening and were buying food. Suddenly the three attacked us at around 8 pm. We incurred a loss of more than Rs. 12,000. Everything was vandalised," stated Rai.

Police stated that one person has been arrested in connection with the incident. Members of Bangla Paksha, an organisation fighting for the right of a son of the soil, demonstrated at the Naxalbari police station on Monday demanding the arrest of the other two.

"We have no connection with the three. They had come to the fair with the motive of creating trouble," claimed Dharmendra Pathak, Fair organiser.