Mirik witnessed sporadic violence over the death of one Asish Tamang, a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activist, allegedly in police firing on Monday night. Violence continued throughout Tuesday.
The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GLMCC- a conglomeration of pro-Gorkhaland outfits) met in Kalimpong on Tuesday and decided on a Delhi-centric agitation. The meeting resolved that the indefinite bandh which was clamped on June 15 in the Hills, would continue.
On Monday, following a GJM rally in Mirik, clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and GJM supporters at Pratapgaon, Ward 7, Mirik. One Nauraj Tamang of the TMC was grievously injured and is undergoing treatment at a private nursing home in Siliguri.
Anand Rai, a GJM activist was also injured. One Kailash Tamang, a GJM supporter was arrested which prompted a gherao of the Mirik police station. Clashes broke out between security forces and the GJM.
GJM supporters allege that security forces opened fire killing Asish Tamang, a 36-year-old GJM activist from Mangarjung. Police, however, claim that police had not fired but had only burst tear gas shells.
"When clashes broke out between the two political outfits, the police had to intervene," stated Akhilesh Chaturvedi, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling.
TMC leaders claimed that they were constantly being threatened. "We are being constantly threatened, attacked and our properties vandalised," said Rajen Mukhia, president, TMC, Darjeeling (Hills).
The GJM, however, claimed that the TMC had attacked the GJM. "Our supporters were attacked by the TMC. The police fired at our activists," alleged GJM leader Phoebe Rai.
Mirik witnessed sporadic violence throughout Tuesday. The police station was gheraoed by GJM supporters. The Municipality building along with the Land and Land Reforms Office in Mirik were vandalised. The house of Poonam Sewa, TMC Municipal Councillor of Ward 2 was vandalised. Vehicles were torched. At around 6 pm, a procession accompanying Asish Tamang's deadbody being brought in from Siliguri after post-mortem, went berserk. The BDO office was vandalised along with a vehicle being torched. Police resorted to tear gas shell bursting to quell the mob. Army was also deployed. A GJM rally gheraoed the District Magistrate's Office in Darjeeling on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the GLMCC met at the SUMI school in Kalimpong. "The indefinite bandh will continue. Our agitation for Gorkhaland henceforth will be Delhi-centric," stated Kalyan Dewan, Coordinator. Two GLMCC teams will be meeting the Governor of Bengal and Governor of Sikkim. "We will apprise the Governors of the present political situation of the Hills and about the police excesses," stated Dewan. The GLMCC will be holding hunger strikes and dharnas in Delhi and will also be meeting heads of other political parties to muster support for the Gorkhaland demand.
The conglomeration demanded immediate intervention of the Union government in the Darjeeling impasse. The GLMCC will be meeting in Delhi on August 1.
Meanwhile, reacting to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's comment that the Centre is showing non-cooperation to check the unrest in Darjeeling, Union Minister for Electronics & IT and Law & Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad in Kolkata said that Centre is co-operative and does not instigate any violence.