TMC Lines up Marches in North Bengal from 9 Aug

Trinamul has decided to hold marches in Siliguri and the surroundings from August 9 to seek restoration of peace in the #Darjeeling hills and to protest the demand for the separate state.

This is the first time that the ruling party has announced political programmes against the #Gorkhaland demand after the current movement began in the hills in June.

Trinamul has announced the rallies at a time there are indications that the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is trying to bring the agitation down to the plains. The Morcha had already said it would intensify the movement if there was no response from the Centre by August 8.

"We will take up a series of political activities across Siliguri subdivision and the adjoining areas in Jalpaiguri district for peace and to protest the Gorkhaland demand. First, there will be a procession from Kanchenjungha Stadium to Darjeeling More in Siliguri on August 9," Bengal tourism minister and Trinamul leader Gautam Deb said here today.

So far, apolitical organisations and common people have held anti-Gorkhaland rallies in the town.

The district Left Front had also held a rally for peace and amity in the hills.

None of the marches were allowed to move beyond Mahananda Bridge at Airview More that is in the heart of the town.

Among other programmes which the minister announced today are marches in Bagdogra, Naxalbari, Salugara and Kadamtala, all in the Siliguri subdivision, and a meeting at Debidanga near here.

"Those programmes will be held from the third week of August. From August 10, there will be street corner meetings at different locations in Siliguri. At all these programmes, we will highlight how the BJP is trying to foment tension in the state," said Deb.

The announcement of the processions came a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee had returned from Siliguri to Calcutta. She had spoken to Deb and other Trinamul leaders on the situation in the hills.

"It seems the party now wants to use the strong anti-Gorkhaland sentiments in the plains to expand its support base," an observer said.

By AVIJIT SINHA and BIRESWAR BANERJEE
Via Telegraph
Source: http://bit.ly/2fd8Jjy
File Pic

Sukna unrest: Conflicting claims on 2 killed in firing

Even as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) threw a 10-day deadline at the Centre to intervene to resolve the standoff in West Bengal’s Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, supporters of the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland clashed with the police, and according to one GJM leader two persons were killed in police firing.

The administration denied the police opened fire and that anyone was dead at all, while admitting that at least one person was taken to a hospital with a serious head injury. This person is now being treated for his injuries and his condition is stable, said a top Darjeeling district official, who asked not to be named.

Conflicting reports came from within the GJM: its vice president Vishal Chhetri made a press statement saying two persons had died when the police attacked a rally of 400 Gorkhaland supporters in Sukna, and the party’s assistant general secretary Binoy Tamang later said at least four persons had been injured and two were battling life-threatening head injuries in a hospital in Siliguri town.

On Saturday, a group of around 400 Gorkhaland supporters took out a rally brandishing khukuris, or traditional Gorkha knives, and were headed towards the plains breaching a police barricade. To stop them from advancing, the police baton charged them and fired from water-canons, but did not use firearms, said the unnamed official cited above.

The police fired at a peaceful rally, alleged GJM’s Chhetri.

Meanwhile, after consultations within the party supporting the Gorkhaland movement, the GJM said it will intensify the blockade if the Centre did nothing to address the issue. The movement will be spread to the plains adjoining the two disturbed districts of West Bengal, and Gorkhaland supporters will block supplies to neighbouring Sikkim, said GJM’s Tamang.

The GJM may be compelled to block national highways 10 and 33 and disrupt supply of baby food and ration if the Centre remained unmoved, he added.

In pic: Supporters of a separate Gorkhaland state clash with police during an indefinite strike at Sukna village in Darjeeling district on the outskirts of Siliguri on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Via Livemint

Sukna Update: 4 Agitators Injured, 2 Arrested

Gorkhaland agitators sprung a surprise on authorities when they clashed with police, not in Darjeeling hills, but down at Sukna, close to Siliguri town on Saturday after days of lull.

One GJM supporter and three policemen were injured near Rongtong Bridge, about 12 km from Siliguri, after police stopped GJM supporters from holding a rally with khukris, the traditional Gorkha knife, on Saturday.

Nitin Chettri, a GJM leader, claimed that Ajay Chettri (30), who had come from Garidhura, about 20 km to the north of Siliguri, sustained severe injury when a teargas shell hit him on the head and that he was taken to the hospital.

Angry GJM supporters pelted stones at the police and damaged several vehicles as police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob.

Two GJM supporters were arrested for attacking the police. The arrests triggered more violence from the mob which blocked the road and set tyres on fire.

In the evening, district magistrate Joyoshi Dasgupta said tension is still prevailing. “The injured GJM supporter is undergoing treatment.”

Senior IPS officers were camping at the site although the GJM supporters dispersed after 6 pm.

Meanwhile, the bandh called by 15 political parties and organisations based in the hills entered its 45th day on Saturday, making it the longest strike observed in support of the demand for a separate Gorkhaland.

The longest stir before this, held by the Gorkha National Liberation Front in 1988, lasted 40 days. Though GJM observed bandh for 44 days in 2013, it was not continuous and was suspended a few times in between.

VIA: HT
Pic: NBE

Sukna Update: Ajay Chettri on 48 hours observation at Dr. Chang Hosp & Sonam Tamang at NBMCH

Ajay Chettri is on 48 hours observation at Dr.Chhangs nursing home & Sonam tamang admitted at NBMCH (Medical). Both were injured in firing today morning at Sukna.

Sources say firing is still being heard in the air around Sukna region. Meanwhile a big herd of elephants was also seen crossing Sukna forest. 

Earlier:

The tension escalated in Sukna when the rally of Gorkhaland supporters from Mahanadai, Tindharey, Garidhura approached Sukna this morning.

The scuffle took place near Rangtang Bridge, the entry point of Sukna, in which the supporters were obstructed by police. Sources said that the police used water canon and tear gas first to disperse the mob.

Reportedly, 3 supporters were injured in the firing. The injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

After an hour long scuffle, the mob has taken a step back and has gathered in Ram Singh Thakuri Chowk (TCP More), where the mob is demonstrating.

Sources said, a number of police personnel and protesters were injured in the clash.

2 persons were arrested, as informed.

Reportedly, some Ajay Chettri from Garidhura is severely injured in the incident.

Update on today's Sukna Clash

Watch Live Video 

A day ahead of a proposed Gorkhaland support march in over 100 cities across the world, a rally at Sukna, 8 kms from Siliguri, took a bloody turn with several people sustaining injuries in clashes between pro-Gorkhaland supporters and the police.

The situation reportedly went out of hand when the police stopped a rally of pro-Gorkhaland supporters, many of them brandishing khukuris, at Sukna. The protesters, local sources said, included people from the Mahanadi, Tindharey and Garidhura areas.

Watch Live Video

The police used water canon and tear gas to quell the protests. Three Gorkhaland supporters were injured subsequently, sources said. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment, sources added.

A footage received by Teesta Herald shows a grievously injured man being dragged away from the scene of violence.

After the hour-long clash, the mob took a step back before gathering once again at Sukna’s Ram Singh Thakuri Chowk, where they blocked the highway. Teesta Herald witnessed heated exchanges between the police and protesters at the scene.

When last reports came in, the clashes had resumed, locals said.

(More details to follow)

Via Teesta Herald

Report of Police firing in Sukna said sources after clash between protesters and police during rally

Report of Police firing in Sukna said sources after clash between protesters and police. A rally was underway.

Sources say two protesters have been injured in firing and two police men have been injured too. All of them have been rushed to Medical (NBMCH), North Bengal Medical College and Hospital at Matigara in Siliguri.

Video of rally..

JUST IN: CRPC 144 Imposed in Agam Singh Nagar, Salbari, Methibari and Sukna areas

Adminstration today  imposed CRPC 144 from Sukna to Panchanadi area to curb violence. It is to be noted that a huge rally was to be taken out today  from Sukna to Panchanadi in support of GORKHALAND on the occasion of Saheed Diwas. sources said that a rally supporting united Bengal  was also to be taken out from Darjeeling more to Panchanadi. Sensing clashes, police have deployed huge number of force in Panchanadi and has imposed section 144 from Panchanadi to Sukna.so that no untoward incident happen.