Darjeeling shutdown day 53: No violence reported, police to keep strict watch

Darjeeling: The situation in Darjeeling remained tense on Monday, though no incident of violence was reported since Sunday night.

The police and security personnel kept a strict watch on the situation on the 53rd day of the indefinite shutdown in the hills, called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) over its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

A police contingent was seen marching towards the Singhmari area in Darjeeling and going up to Patlebas, a stronghold of GJM supremo Bimal Gurung, from where a number of incidents of violence involving the GJM activists and police have been reported in the last two months.

The GJM and the other hill parties staged a human chain protest near the Darjeeling railway station against police atrocities on their workers and to demand an immediate withdrawal of the forces from the hills.

The GJM also took out rallies demanding restoration of the Internet services, which have been banned in the hills since June 18.

The participants in the rallies carried black flags and placards demanding Gorkhaland.

Barring the medicine shops, all other shops, business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed.