Gurung warns spate of violence in Darjeeling if arrested

Jalpaiguri (WB), Feb 12: GJM chief Bimal Gurung has warned that any attempt to arrest him in connection with the ongoing agitation in Darjeeling hills will unleash a spate of violence there and the state government will be responsible for the consequences.

His comments came in the wake of an FIR lodged against him and four other Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders by Nagerkata police in Jalpaiguri on Feb 9 for causing obstruction to duties of public servants, illegal assembly in areas under prohibitory orders and encroaching forest areas for temporary shelters.

"If police try to arrest me, the people of the hills will give them a fitting reply. They will virtually put the hills on fire. The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government will be solely responsible for the consequences," he told PTI over phone yesterday.

GJM had called for an indefinite strike on Feb 9 demanding a CBI inquiry into the Sipchu police firing on Feb 8, which left two of its supporters dead, and had stated that the outfit would not return to the talks table if Gorkhaland was not the issue of discussion.

Gurung said all the charges made in the FIR were false as they "were holding peaceful demonstration when police fired at GJM activists without any provocation."

He reiterated his demand for a CBI probe into the firing incident.

"Only a CBI enquiry will unfold the truth," he said.

PTI