Normal life hit in Darjeeling, GJM supporter dies

Darjeeling, Aug 4: Six members of Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM) were on Sunday arrested for stopping the vehicle of Superintendent of Police during the bandh in Darjeeling hills.

The 45-year-old GJM supporter, Mangal Singh Rajput, who had set himself ablaze at Dambarchowk in Kalimpong town on July 31, died of his burns at a private nursing home in Siliguri, police sources said.

According to the police, GJM members, including a woman, were arrested early this morning for stopping the vehicle of Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal during the second day of the indefinite bandh in Darjeeling and for other pending cases against them.

They were arrested from their residences here and taken to Darjeeling Sadar police station for interrogation, sources said.

A large number of GJM supporters and local leaders gheraoed the Sadar police station at about 10 30 am and demanded their immediate release.

The arrested persons were later taken to Darjeeling district hospital amid sloganeering by GJM supporters, sources said.

In a separate incident, GJM supporters set ablaze a passenger vehicle on NH-31A at Kalijhora in Kalimpong sub-division. The police and CRPF personnel have been patrolling the areas and Special Striking Force has reached there to nab the miscreants, they said.

Meanwhile, normal life continues to be paralysed in Darjeeling hills on the second day on Sunday due to an indefinite strike demanding separate Gorkhaland state.

All shops, markets remained closed in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in the district.

GJM workers have erected road blockades in many places.

Most of the tourists have left the hills and transport has been off roads.

PTI