Six CRPF companies deployed in Siliguri;Situation peaceful so far

Siliguri/Kolkata, Jun 13 (UNI) All the six companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were today deployed, while the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were staging routemarch in Siliguri and Dooars, following yesterday's escalating ethnic violence over the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha's (GJM) statehood demand.

North Bengal Inspector General of Police (IGP) K L Tamta said, ''Two companies of SSB jawans have been staging a routemarch since last evening, while the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Siliguri Emergency Force personnel have been patrolling the vulnerable areas.'' The situation in Siliguri as well as in Darjeeling had been peaceful so far with no fresh incident of violence reported from anywhere, the IGP stated.

Mr Tamta said, ''The CRPF personnel are garrisoned in several police station areas and working under the supervision of Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Rahul Srivastav.'' The vulnerable Malbazar area of Dooars was also peaceful with prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr PC still in vogue, while the State Armed Police (SAP) personnel are patrolling the entire area,'' Malbazar Sub-Divisional Police Officer Dabarshi Dutta said.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr PC also continued to remain in force in four police station and one police post areas, including Champasari, Baghajatin colony, Bhanunagar, Pradhanagar and Mahanada bridge.

Meanwhile, the Amra Bangali, a political outfit protesting the division of West Bengal, decided to lift the ''Siliguri Bandh'' call from 1400 hrs today, following Darjeeling District Magistrate Rajesh Pandey and State Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharya's requests to withdraw their strike.

However, Amra Bangali North Bengal Secretary Khushi Ranjan Mandal said the economic blockade, called by the Jana Jagaran, a newly-launched common platform to protest the demand for statehood, would continue to remain in force throughout the day today.

MORE UNI Team SJC ATI HS1751