GJM bandh chokes Darjeeling for third day

Normal life was hit for the third day in Darjeeling Hills on Friday in response to the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha to protest police firing at Sipchu in Jalpaiguri district that left two persons dead.

Shops, business establishments and markets were closed while vehicles were off the roads.

Attendance was thin in government offices. All the tea gardens in the hills were closed in response to the bandh.

The GJM has exempted the Census work and students appearing for examinations from the purview of the indefinite bandh which it called after two persons were killed in police firing at Sipchu on Tuesday.

Official sources said the situation in the hills was now under control and no major untoward incident has been reported from anywhere since Wednesday.

The Border Security Force had on Thursday conducted flag marches in Darjeeling town and Kalimpong sub-division, they said.

Top GJM leaders, including party president Bimal Gurung, would hold a meeting in the evening to decide the future course of action including whether the bandh would continue or not, GJM sources said.

The last rites of the two persons killed in the police firing was conducted yesterday.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri had on Thursday reiterated the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the police firing at Sipchu and had stated that outfit would not return to the talks table if Gorkhaland was not the issue of discussion.