Centre''s interlocutor holds talks with Gurung

Jalpaiguri, Feb 12 (PTI) Amid simmering tension inviolence-hit Darjeeling hills, Centre''s interlocutor forDarjeeling Vijay Madan today held talks with GJM presidentBimal Gurung in an attempt to normalise the situation.

The talks at Kumani, 85 km off here, were held at atime when the situation in the hills was limping back tonormalcy even as Rina Khawas (22), a Morcha activist,succumbed to bullet injuries, sustained in police firing atSipchu under Nagerkata police station on February eight.

With this, the death toll in the firing incident roseto three. Three injured are still in hospital in Kalimpong.

Police said the situation in the hills was calm butsimmering tension continued to prevail.

Madan earlier held discussions with districtmagistrates and superintendents of police of Darjeeling andJalpaiguri to get a brief of the latest law and ordersituation in both the Dooars region and the hills.

Sources said that Madan might also talk to othermembers of the Morcha leadership, spearheading the agitationfor a separate Gorkhaland, before returning to Delhi.

Meanwhile, life remained totally paralysed in theDarjeeling hills on the fourth day of GJM''s indefinite strikein protest against police firing and demanding a CBI probeinto the incident.

GJM sources said in Darjeeling that they would notbudge from their demand for a separate Gorkhaland and notallow any discussion on an interim set-up for Darjeelinghills.