After Darjeeling and Kalimpong blast at Sukhiapokhari Police Station

After Darjeeling and Kalimpong, a "grenade-like" explosive was lobbed at the Sukhiapokhari police station in the wee hours of Thursday.

According to a police source, at around 2.15am on Thursday an Improvised Explosive Device on the lines of a hand grenade was lobbed at the police station. As the police station on an elevated position with a stone protection wall (of around a single storey height) below the police station, the grenade hit the wall and fell on the road. No one was injured in the incident.

It then exploded on the road shattering window panes of nearby houses and also damaged a few vehicles parked on the Sukhia road. If the grenade would have exploded inside the police station there would have been a lot of casualties as there were security personnel on sentry duty and police patrol party in the outpost at the time of the explosion.

It is believed that the grenade was lobbed from a narrow alley leading to Gairigaon, opposite to the police station. A large police contingent led by police top brass reached Sukhiapokhari. An investigation has been initiated by the police. Raids are on.

Sukhiapokhari, at a distance of around 20km from Darjeeling town is in close proximity to the Indo-Nepal border. The blast occurs at a time when the West Bengal Government has invited Hill parties for talks on August 29 to resolve the ongoing Darjeeling impasse.

An agitation is on in the Hills for Gorkhaland since June. An indefinite bandh has been clamped in the Hills since June 15. There have been widespread incidents of violence, arson and vandalizing in course of the agitation. 8 agitators have lost their lives allegedly in police firing.

On August 19 there were twin blasts, one at Darjeeling and the other at the Kalimpong police station. The Sukhipokhari police station blast has a similar modus operandi as Kalimpong. In Kalimpong too a hand grenade like IED was lobbed at the police station which left a Civic police dead and a Home Guard personnel grievously injured. A CID team is investigating the blasts.

"It looks like there are some people trying to derail the 29thAugust talks. They do not want normalcy to return. The Union Government has to take serious note of the situation. We have been repeatedly stating that the Maoist from Nepal are behind the violence.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has to take responsibility as they are spearheading the agitation. If they can claim the fruits of the agitation then they will have to take responsibility for the ill effects too" remarked Gautam Deb, Minister in charge of the Tourism Department, Government of West Bengal.

The GJM has washed their hands from the incidents and have demanded a high level inquiry by the INA supervised by a Judicial Officer in the incidents of explosions. "It is a conspiracy to defame the party and derail the ongoing Gorkhaland agitation which is democratic in nature" Binay Tamang, Chief Coordinator, GJM had earlier stated.

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