Darjeeling unrest: Pro-Gorkhaland activist dies during clashes, police deny report

On Monday, Gorkhaland activists alleged that one of their supporters was killed in police firing. The report was denied by the police.

Darjeeling, July 18: Ever since the Gorkhaland agitation started in Darjeeling and its neighbouring areas in West Bengal to demand for a separate state in June, activists and the police have been fighting over the death toll.

On Monday, again the leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)--the party that is spearheading the current wave of protests in the hills--and the police gave contradictory statements to the media in regard to the death of a protester, who was allegedly killed in police firing.

While the GJM claimed that one of their activists was killed and a few others were injured in police firing during a clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadres and GJM supporters in Darjeeling, the police refused to divulge any details.

Though the police confirmed that they had received a dead body, they refused to give any information about the identity of the deceased or the reason behind his death.

"Yes, we have received a dead body. However, who he is and how he died cannot be confirmed till the post mortem is done on Tuesday morning," district superintendent of police, Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi told IANS.

When asked if the police opened fire on a mob in Mirik, the officer said, "We cannot say anything on this right now."

However, GJM leader Binay Tamang identified the deceased as Ashish Tamang, a resident of Darjeeling district's Magargunj.

"Ashish was shot in the chest by the police during a clash between GJM and TMC supporters in the area. Ashish was taken to a local health centre in Mirik where he was declared dead," Binay told IANS.

According to Binay, the clash between the activists of two parties started on late Monday afternoon after the locals demanded that the seven TMC members of Mirik municipality resign and work independently.

"When we took out a large rally in Mirik this afternoon, our activists were attacked and provoked by the state ruling party supporters. Nearly seven TMC supporters got injured in the clash while one of our activists sustained serious injury inflicted by a kukri (Nepalese knife)," Binay claimed.

According to sources, the clash became more violent after the police rushed to the spot and charged tear gas shells to disperse the mob. The large crowd attacked the police and resorted to stone pelting.

"The police started tear gas shelling from around 8 pm near a market in Mirik. They also opened fire at our activists. That is when Ashish got shot," Binay added.

As per the GJM, a total of eight Gorkhaland supporters have lost their lives because of police brutality. However, the police maintained that only two persons died due to the violence in the hills.

The protest in Darjeeling and its neighbouring areas started on June 8. The indefinite bandh called by the GJM, which has the support of all the pro-Gorkhaland parties, entered the 34th day on Tuesday.

Because of the ongoing strike, life has come to a standstill in the hills. Schools, colleges, business establishments and several government offices are not functioning due to the protests.

OneIndia News