Gorkhaland protests get bloody: 2 GJM supporters killed, one cop stabbed

With each passing day, the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland has been getting more and more violent.

On 17 June, two supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) were allegedly killed, while a police officer of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), Kiran Tamang, was stabbed in the back with a khukuri during a clash between GJM and the police.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continued her condemnation of the movement and said that the movement in Darjeeling has clear links with militant organisations of the North East.

“After seizing a huge cache of illegal arms and unaccounted money two days ago, we came to know that some terrorist organisations of Northeast are funding the political outfit. They are using Indian flag and resorting to violence. This is unconstitutional. I urge the hill people not to support them and to try to bring peace,” Banerjee said.

Thousands of tourists have already fled Darjeeling since clashes broke out on 8 June between the GJM and government forces. The hill parties - led by the BJP ally GJM - have come together to press for a 100-year-old demand to separate Gorkhaland from the plains of West Bengal, a claim bitterly opposed by Banerjee. 

The elections to the autonomous Gorkha Territorial Administration – controlled by the GJM – are due before August.

The clashes

On the morning of 17 June, as thousands of GJM supporters, including many women, moved towards Patlabas, the operational headquarter of the party and the residence of GJM chief Bimal Gurung, the police did not allow them to enter the area.

This led to a clash between the police and GJM’s supporters.

As the situation continued to spiral out of control, the police lobbed tear gas shells at Singhmari to disperse the crowd. GJM supporters at Ghum also pelted stones at police vehicles.

A few hours after the clashes began, GJM supporters alleged that two people had been killed in police firing.

In retaliation, GJM supporters stabbed a police officer in the back when he was attempting to save a police van from burning. 

There were also reports of instances of arson in Bijonbari area; a PWD bunglow was also reportedly set ablaze.

State condemnation

“Tamang’s condition is very critical. On the other hand, GJM supporters have not died owing to police firing. The investigation is going on and it is too early to comment,” Mamata said on Saturday evening.

“It’s a planned conspiracy by the GJM supporters as we have received information that they have piled up a huge cache of illegal arms and ammunition, and have already planned to start their violence before the elections,” she added.

"Without Central forces, it was difficult for us to control the situation. Around 6.30 pm, the situation came under control as the Morcha supporters withdrew after CRPF and BSF helped the state police to keep the law and order situation under control," said a senior police official.

"We are yet to chalk out strategy on Darjeeling issue. Give us some more time," said national BJP president Amit Shah. The state unit, however, pointed finger at Mamat Banerjee.

State president Dilip Ghosh said, "Our central leadership is looking at the situation, but its is Mamata Banerjee who responsible for the current situation in the hills."

Blame game

The blame game over death of the GJM supporters continued with both GJM and the state government blaming each other.

Binoy Tamang, assistant secretary of GJM, said, “My house was also ransacked by police officials and police first lobbed tear gas shells at the GJM supporters when they took out a rally. Our supporters died owing to police firing.”

Later in the evening, GJM called an indefinite strike in the Dooars region from Sunday onwards as a protest against the deaths of their two supporters.

"We will only speak with the Centre on the issue now and not the state government," said Tamang.

A large contingent of CRPF has also been posted at Singhmari, Patlabas and Darjeeling.

GJM’s general secretary Roshan Giri said, “We want a judicial inquiry to look into the deaths of our two Gorkha supporters.” According to him, the police fired at least 303 bullets and did not use tear gas shells. “We also want peace in the hills, but the police thinks of us as enemies and that’s why they fired at us.”

Countering the GJM’s claim, additional director general of police (law and order) Anuj Sharma said, “After receiving the latest report, we know that the police did not fire at the protestors.”

Looking for a fix

According to Banerjee, an all party meeting has been scheduled for 22 June to try and resolve the impasse in hills. On 17 June, the CM also formed a committee comprising chairmans of the 15 Boards in the hills to plan a strategy on pushing for peace.

“The Centre also should intervene and try to resolve the situation in the hills. We have already sent a report of the current situation in the hills,” Banerjee said.