Hills unrest: Now, even fire engines are burnt down

Breaking the norms of a bandh where emergency services are spared, three fire engines at Kurseong were set on fire late on Saturday night, allegedly by GJM supporters.

It was revealed that around eight to10 people wearing black masks had come to the fire brigade office at Kurseong and, holding the security guard at the point of a khukuri, entered the office and hurled petrol bombs inside. They also burnt three fire tenders before leaving. It has been an unprecedented incident as the GJM-sponsored bandh at the hills entered Day 18 on Sunday, because so far none of the emergency services had been attacked.

Another Tata Sumo car, on Hill Cart Road, about 250m away from the Fire Brigade office, was stopped and set ablaze after passengers and drivers were forced out of the vehicle. The vehicle was on its way to Siliguri and since the fire tenders were razed, the flames of the burning Sumo could not be doused.

District police officials said that four different cases have been initiated. Police were carrying out raids since Saturday night but there have been no arrests so far. All the police stations of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik have been kept on high alert.

Members of Youth Morcha of GJM took out a rally on Sunday and gheraoed Darjeeling Police Station at about 11.30 am, demanding the release of a 65-year-old GJM activist who had earlier been arrested by the police. "She is a 65-year-old leader of the Mahila Morcha and had been beaten up badly by the police leading to a broken left arm. We demand she should be freed," said an agitating Morcha worker.

The gherao was lifted after officials of Darjeeling PS assured agitators that the GJM Mahila Morcha leader had been taken to the plains for treatment and would be brought back in two days.

GJM leaders, however, denied all charges of violence and said their workers were not involved in any incidents of arson or attack on government offices.