Chief Minister P Chamling announces ex-gratia

Gangtok, Mar 11 (UNI) Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh to the families of the state India Reserve Battalion personnel who were killed in Delhi early this morning.

Official sources here said Mr Chamling, who is presently in Delhi, has expressed shock and anguish over the incident and conveyed his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved families.

Five Sikkim IRB personnel were killed and one sustained injuries in a shoot-out at the Daryaganj branch of the Dena Bank.

Sikkim Police DIG Range Askhya Sachdeva identified the deceased as Naik Vishnu Tiwari, Naik Kumar Basnet, Karma Bhutia, Santabir Tamang, Laxman Subba and the injured as Nari Lepcha.

Mr Sachdeva said that the Delhi Police was interrogating Nari Lepcha and another Jaibahadur Subba in connection with the incident.

While Delhi police was investigating the incident, a three-member high-level team, led by Sikkim Director General of Police C M Ravindram, DIG Armed Police Sudhakar Rao and Deputy Commandat IRB Hemraj Rai left for Delhi this morning for an internal assessment.

The bodies of the victims were expected here on March 13, and Sikkim Police was making preparations to give them a befitting guard of honour, Mr Sachdeva said.

UNI