Protests erupt in Jalpaiguri after Bhutan Police assaults 6 Indian youths
Jalpaiguri: Six youths from Upper Changmari in Nagrakata Block, Jalpaiguri district were allegedly beaten up by the Bhutan Police while travelling to Bhutan for a friend’s birthday celebration. The incident occurred on Saturday night and has caused unrest on the border. Owing to the protest, the Bhutan gate was also closed down for some time. The Shashashtra Seema Bal (SSB) deployed on the India-Bhutan border tried to pacify the situation.
On Sunday, hundreds of Upper Changmari villagers protested at the Changmari Bhutan Gate, demanding justice for the victims. In response to the assault, the protesters closed the gate, calling for its permanent closure. They cited previous similar incidents that had not been resolved involving the death of a resident years ago, fuelling their demand for more decisive action.
Attempts to reach Malbazar Sub-Divisional Officer Shubham Kundal for comment were unsuccessful. However, Malbazar SDPO Nilesh Srikant Gaikwad stated: “There was a temporary issue involving some individuals, but the matter has been resolved through discussion.” According to local sources, Anish Darjee, a resident of Upper Changmari Nepali Line, had gone to Bhutan on Saturday with five friends to celebrate his birthday. They had deposited their identity documents at the border with the Bhutan police. While returning around 7 pm, they were reportedly beaten by Bhutanese police officers.
Victim Dibesh Chhetri stated: “We crossed the border into Bhutan with all the required documents. After dining at a hotel, while returning, we were suddenly attacked by the Bhutanese police without any provocation. Although they were police, they were not in uniform.”
Anish Darjee added: “Four of us were beaten, while the other two managed to escape with minor injuries.”
Local resident Hari Thapa criticised the Bhutanese police’s actions, stating: “People from both countries use this gate daily. While Indians treat Bhutanese with respect, the behaviour is not reciprocated by the citizens of Bhutan. The SSB does nothing in these situations and such treatment of Indians by Bhutanese police is unacceptable.”
Trinamool Congress’s Changmari Unit Secretary Kailash Subba narrated that a similar incident occurred five years ago when a young man died in Bhutan, with justice still pending. He emphasised that this ongoing issue has led to the gate’s closure and the demand for its permanent shutdown. Following the protest, SSB officials and Nagrakata police arrived at the scene, but no official statements have been made by the SSB.
