Two killed in police firing in Darjeeling

Jalpaiguri/Darjeeling: Two persons were killed when police opened fire to stop Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters from taking out a march in Jalpaiguri district violating prohibitory orders, triggering unrest in Darjeeling hills where government vehicles and offices were set on fire by GJM workers.

Sub-divisional Officer of Malbazar Devjani Bhattacharjee said two persons were killed in police firing at Shipchu inside a reserve forest.

Clashes erupted when the police dismantled illegal temporary camps of the GJM built near Shipchu inside a reserve forest, IG (North Bengal) Ranbir Kumar said.

Soon after the police action, GJM supporters tried to march towards Dooars region of Jalpaiguri district where prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were in force.

When baton charge and lobbing of tear gas shells failed to control the situation, police fired seven rounds in which two persons were killed, ADG (law and order) Surajit Kar Purakayastha said in Kolkata.

Police and CRPF had dismantled 25 such temporary camps located in the forests, Kumar said.

Meanwhile, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said an indefinite bandh has been called in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district from today with a two-hour recess for smooth passage of vehicles.

Immediately after the death news reached Darjeeling town, GJM workers went on the rampage setting fire to a police vehicle, a car belonging to the additional district magistrate and offices of the tourism department and forest department, official sources said.

The agitated supporters also set afire two North Bengal State Transport Corporation buses in Kalimpong sub-division.

A police outpost at Pedong, Jaldhaka forest bungalow, Chapramari forest checkpost and Jhalong forest bungalow were set on fire and the mob tried to torch the Singmari police outpost, the sources said.

They said that all the fires had been controlled by fire brigade personnel but not before extensive damage was done to the structures.

GJM workers also demonstrated in front of police stations at Kalimpong, Kurseong, Darjeeling and other places besides starting a rail blockade at Birpara and Bagrakot in Jalpaiguri district.

Roshan Giri told a press conference that the firing was unprovoked and denied the role of GJM supporters in the arson following the firing.

He alleged that the violence was engineered by the West Bengal government.

Giri said the GJM would shortly write a letter to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on the government's 'role' in the flare-up.

GJM sources said the two killed in firing were identified as Bimla Rai (16) and Vicky Lama (24).

The assistant general secretary of the Darjeeling Bar Association, Ishamoni Gurung, said a case would be filed about today's firing incident in a court. The ADG (law and order) said in Kolkata that seven police personnel, including SDPO, Malbazar, were injured in a clash with GJM workers, the condition of two of them, including a woman Karun Tikka, being critical.

They had been attacked by the traditional Gorkha machete 'khukri', he said.

He said traffic movement has been severely hit in the hills.

Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said the four companies of CRPF personnel, now stationed in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, would be put to use to control the situation.

While Darjeeling has three companies, including one comprising women, Jalpaiguri has one company of the paramilitary force, Ghosh said.

The state armed police personnel were also being sent to the hills, he said.