Paramilitary force personnel on Friday conducted flag marches in violence-hit areas of Siliguri where the situation was fast returning to normal with the administration and business establishments taking initiatives to restore calm.
Shops, markets and business establishments opened following assurances by the police and administration though there was no formal announcement of withdrawal of the ongoing bandh by little-known outfits like Amra Bangal, Bangla Bhasa Prachar Samiti and Janajagaran Manch.
Vehicles were seen plying on roads. "There was no impact of the bandh in Siliguri and police was ready to frustrate any attempt of violence," Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling, Rahul Srivastava told PTI.
Other than 200 Sashastra Seema Bal personnel conducting flag marches in Siliguri since Thursday, 600 Central Reserve Police Force personnel requisitioned by the district administration for deployment in Darjeeling hills reached Siliguri on Friday morning.
The CRPF was partly deployed in Siliguri and the rest was sent to Malbazar in Dooars region of Jalapaiguri district, which too had witnessed violence between pro and anti-bandh supporters on Thursday, he said.
Srivastava said the police was making all arrangements to send trucks and lorries loaded with food and essentials to Darjeeling hills as no vehicle was allowed to move on Thursday by the bandh activists leading to shortage of essentials there.