Arson attacks in Darjeeling as central forces rushed in

The attacks came after the Mamata Banerjee government brought in the CRPF and the Indian Border Guards to maintain peace during the shut-down due to start Saturday. The move had angered the GJM,with its chief Bimal Gurung and other senior leaders questioning the need for such deployment.

The attackers are believed to have targeted the Takdah forest bungalow as it had been renovated recently at a cost of Rs 1 crore at the initiative of the chief minister and Banerjee stayed there when she visited the hills.

“We got news of miscreants cutting open the border fencing of the bungalow from the hillside and entering it at about 12.30 am. There was no way to reach the spot as it was raining,” said forest ranger Suresh Pandey.

Similarly,the attackers torched a police camp in Pokhriabong,forest houses in Rimvhik and a NHPC vehicle in MongPong. They also threw kerosene on two constables guarding the police camp and set them on fire. The constables,Binsen Baraili and Amber Manger,were rescued and admitted to a local hospital,with Baraili said to have suffered serious burn injuries.

GJM vice president Binay Ttaming said the attacks were a conspiracy hatched by its rivals to malign the GJM.

“We did not have any knowledge about the incident. We are holding a democratic movement and our movement will be intensified. But it does not mean that we have resorted to violence,” he said.

In a separate incident,the body of a GJM tea union leader was found in a tea estate with the neck slit. Police said they had detained four people,including a TMC man from the area in connection with the killing. Following the violence,the district administration held a meeting with TMC general secretary Mukul Roy and North Bengal Minister Gautam Deb in Siliguri. Roy blamed the Centre for fueling the Gorkhaland movement even as the second largest party in the hills,the CPRM,came out in support of the GJM.

Sources said the government has directed the district administration to go slow on the deployment of central forces. “The central forces are there as reserve force. They have not been deployed anywhere. The forces would be deployed if violent clashes erupt after the strike starts tomorrow. Some personnel of the central forces will be deployed near government offices to ensure government employees can attend office,” a senior police officer said.