Darjeeling: Arrests continue even as statehood agitation enters different phases

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is not getting any respite from the state government’s relentless approach in squashing the ongoing statehood movement with the police continuing to arrest senior leaders and activists in night raids.

Late Sunday evening, Prabha Chhetri, a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration sabhasad and GJM core committee women’s wing member, was arrested from Kurseong. The police have said she and eight others were arrested as part of preventive measures undertaken by the administration.

However, 17 other people with warrants against their names were also arrested in raids from various places of the Hills. So far the police have arrested more than 500 GJM activists including senior leaders.

The GJM, though increasingly being pushed to the corner, is not relenting and has forged a pact with a total of eight political and apolitical organisations to form a joint forum called the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC).

The forum is a strategy to counter the state government and Calcutta High Court’s attacks on the party’s agitation modus operandi that includes strikes.

The GJAC launched a ‘janta curfew’ on August 13 and 14, a new coinage stating people would voluntary maintain a curfew-like atmosphere. The tactic was modified on Sunday’s GJAC meeting to a ‘ghar bhitrai janta’ or people remaining indoors agitation on Monday.

Again, to avert any further censure by the high court to its mode of agitation, the joint committee has asked people to participate in a ‘sadak ma janta’ or ‘people outside their homes’ programme from August 20 to 23.

Darjeeling town wore a ghostly look throughout the day as people remained confined inside their homes. However, pharmaceutical outlets were allowed to operate to facilitate emergency services. Security forces patrolled the streets to provide security to those willing to reach their workplaces even though no vehicle services were available.

Meanwhile, government offices will open from August 24 even as the GJAC has announced of holding torch rallies for two days followed by the formation of a human chain on August 26 on all main roads, including state and national highways, to continue pressing with the statehood demand and to condemn the state government’s atrocities.

Ten additional companies of the Central Reserve Police Force in addition to the five already deployed have been brought to the Hills for maintaining law and order. Sixteen platoons of the RAF, IRB and SSF have also been deployed.

Bail petitions of GJM leaders rejected

The bail petition of GTA Sabha members Anit Thapa and Prava Chettri were rejected today and they have been remanded to judicial custody for another 14 days.

Chettri was arrested by the Kurseong police on Sunday evening and produced before the Kurseong ACJM Court today. According to her lawyer, Chettri has been charged on four previous cases including the burning of a forest bungalow at Dungay Kothi, Mahanadi in 2011. She has been booked under the non-bailable section of the IPC.

Meanwhile, Thapa, who was arrested on several cases, was produced before court in the first week of August. He was brought before the Kurseong ACJM Court from Siliguri jail where his bail petition was cancelled. One more case of burning a PWD bungalow in Mirik on August 5 was charged on Thapa, which is also non-bailable under section 436 IPC. The next hearing of the two GJM leaders has been set for August 31 and September 2.(EOIC)