Shut down disrupts normal life in Darjeeling

Darjeeling, Apr 10 : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) called a 24-hour shut down in Darjeeling today in response to police personnel preventing GJM activists from taking out a procession yesterday.

Ten policemen, ten GJM supporters and three mediapersons were injured in the clash.

Today's shutdown has disrupted normal life in the three hill sub-divisions.

All educational institutions, business establishments, shops and markets were closed in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong subdivisions where vehicles were off the roads.

The shutdown was partial in the Siliguri sub-division with its effect limited to certain pockets, sources said.

Additional police personnel were deployed in various parts of the district. They GJM workers clashed with policemen when they tried to stop the demonstration.

The shutdown was being supported by the Kamtapur Peoples Party and Greater Coochbehar Democratic Party.

While the GJM has revived the demand for a separate state of Gorkhland, the KPP and GCDP were agitating for creation of separate states of Kamtapur and Coochbehar respectively.

ANI