Mob vandalize youth hostel, set it on fire in Darjeeling

The indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hills entering its 27th day today, all eyes are set on the all-party meeting scheduled to be held today in Mirik area of the hills.

After a brief lull, violence erupted on Tuesday as a group of unidentified men vandalized a youth hostel and set it on fire in in hill city Darjeeling.

The vandalism is being reported even after security was highetened after two Army columns comprising around 100 personnel were deployed on Saturday due to large-scale violence and arson.

On Saturday, a group of people torched Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR)- Toy train- station at Sonada town after a Gorkhaland supporter was allegedly killed in police firing. The indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hills entering its 27th day today, all eyes are set on the all-party meeting scheduled to be held today in Mirik area of the hills.

The meeting was scheduled to be held on July 18 but was advanced to July 11 following the violence in the hills on Saturday last. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is spearheading the agitation for a separate state to be carved out of West Bengal.

Many hill parties are in favour of relaxing the shutdown for few days as the supplies of food and essentials have dried up due to the indefinite strike, Jan Andolan Party (JAP) sources said.

(With agency inputs)