Violence erupts in Darjeeling, 1 killed

Kolkata: Fresh violence erupted in the Darjeeling Hills since Monday night, with supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) clashing with the police. 

The GJM alleged that one of its supporters, Asish Tamang, was killed and another person injured in the clash as the police opened fire in Mirik. 

The police, however, refuted the allegations and claimed that they had fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the agitators when they tried to set fire to government establishments. 

Meanwhile, at the all-party meeting held at Kalimpong on Tuesday, a decision was made to focus more on the capital to press for their demands by deciding to hold its next meeting in Delhi on August 1. They will also continue with their indefinite bandh in the Hills.

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, on the sidelines of an event, when asked to comment on the allegations of CM Mamata Banerjee that the BJP is instigating the movement in Darjeeling said, “We are not instigating... We are cooperating fully with the state government. Ultimately the state has to take the initiative.”