Huge police force deployed in Kalimpong ahead of Mamata visit

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit Kalimpong on September 3 to accept the “bestower of fortune” title from the Lepcha community. But it remains to be seen whether the public will turn out in large numbers as the GJAC has called its aghar bhitra janta’ (public remaining indoors) programme on the same day.

Banerjee’s upcoming visit has been preceded by the presence of a huge police force in town. The Thana Dara area appeared like a police camp as the top brass, including North Bengal IG S Pujari, Darjeeling Police Superintendent Kunal Agarwal and Darjeeling Range Assistant Superintendent Javed Samim were all present there.

Hundreds of policemen from Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur were also seen parading in full regalia.

Pujari held a three-hour meeting in the town hall with his colleagues and district administration officials on the high profile visit. Security has been tightened heavily to prevent any untoward incident during Banerjee’s stay here.

The IG also inspected the Mela Ground premises where preparations for the programme are on. The felicitation ceremony, being organised by the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, is expected to be attended by 25,000-odd community members, according to ILTA president LS Tamsang. Sources have said many Lepchas from faraway regions will walk all the way to Mela Ground.(EOI)