Darjeeling bandh enters 16th day; vandalism, arson continue

As the indefinite bandh clamped by the GJM in the Darjeeling Hills hit the 16 day mark, incidents of arson and vandalising continued unabated.

On Friday night, alleged GJM supporters tried to torch the New Circuit House in Darjeeling town. Police rushed to the spot and doused the fire.

In Kurseong, the St Mary's Panchayat office was totally gutted. The day saw rallies brought out by the GJM all over the Hills. In Mongpu, the GJM youth wing took out a rally brandishing Khukuris.

Meanwhile, the Himalayan Rajmarga Chalak Sangathan (association of vehicles mainly trucks plying on the National Highway 10 from Siliguri to Gangtok) has gone on an indefinite strike resulting in shortage of essential commodities in Sikkim.

This comes on the wake of Sikkim vehicles being allegedly attacked and vandalised in the plains along with incidents of stone pelting and arson on the NH 10. Uttam Rai, President of the Association stated: "It is very risky for the vehicles to go down to Siliguri. We will only start plying after the West Bengal Police assures us of adequate security and safety."

Late in the afternoon, there were incidents of stone pelting at the Singamari Police Town Outpost on the outskirts of the Darjeeling town. The miscreants also tried to torch a police vehicle but were chased away by the police and CRPF.