Panchayat office torched, shutdown enters Day 17

Kolkata: Sporadic violence marked the indefinite bandh in Darjeeling Hills on Saturday with supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) allegedly throwing stones at the police while they were conducting vehicle checking drive at Singmari. The police retaliated and chased away the agitators with their sticks.

Police sources said that some Morcha supporters threw stones at them when they stopped the vehicle of a Yuva Morcha leader infront of Singmari party office for checking. The police were checking vehicles that were coming from Patlebas area that houses the office of Morcha chief Bimal Gurung. Following the incident a large police contingent surrounded the Singari party office.

Earlier in the early hours, the agitators set ablaze a panchayat office. However, the security forces moved in quickly and prevented it from getting completely gutted. A few hours in the early morning the agitators set fire to a sericulture office in Kurseong. A fire tender was pressed into service that doused the fire preventing much damage to it.

GJM supporters took out processions in various parts of the Hills demanding a separate state and a large gathering was held at the Chowkbazar area here. Normal life remained crippled in the Hills with the indefinite shutdown.

The security personnel maintained a close vigil in the disturbed areas even as Internet services remained suspended.