January 18, 2009 1:47:25 am
Normal life was thrown out of gear once again on Saturday and fresh violence rocked Darjeeling Hills and Doors region of Jalpaiguri district during separate bandh calls given by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and a tribal group opposing it.
Sporadic clashes broke out between GJM supporters on one side and CPM cadres and tribal groups on the other. Police had to resort to lathi-charge and firing rubber bullets and teargas shells to control the mob.
Following Fridays clashes,a 24-hour bandh in Darjeeling hills was called by the GJM while the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad,a tribal group,called an indefinite bandh in Doors.
On Saturday,clashes broke out with between GJM supporters are CPM cadres in Salugara while tribal groups crossed swords with GJM supporters in Nagrakata area. The two groups were armed with lathis and pelted stones at each other,the sources said. Three persons were injured in the clash and three vehicles were damaged,they said. There were clashes at Nagarakata and Banarhat too.
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Meanwhile,at Nagrakata,GJM supporters clashed with the tribals opposed to the demand for Gorkhaland. Three houses and two vehicles were set ablaze. Police fired rubber bullets to control the mob.
Special Inspector general of Police,Jalpaiguri range,Zulfiquar Hasan,said,Police officials are camping in the area and we have rushed in additional forces,including RPF,to control the violence, said Hasan.
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