Affrontements et couvre-feu à Dooars (West Bengal) – 16 janvier 2011

Curfew in Dooars after clash

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN, Jan 17, 2011

KOLKATA: Violent clashes between pro-Gorkhaland supporters and those opposed to the movement at Jaigaon in the Dooars kept the entire belt on the boil, forcing the administration to declare a curfew on Sunday.

Jaigaon, that thrives on trade with Bhutan through its border town Phuentsholling, has a large concentration of Gorkhas and Muslims communities that have clashed in the past over the Gorkhaland issue. A year and a half ago, two persons were killed in clashes between Gorkhas and Muslims that had turned communal. Determined not to allow a rerun, the administration has clamped down Section 144 of CrPC that bans assembly of more than three people indefinitely.

Trouble erupted around 8.30 am on Sunday when anti-Gorkhaland supporters, enforcing a bandh call by Bangla-O-Bangla Bhasha Banchao Committee (BoBBBC) an anti-Gorkhaland front that enjoys the support of non-Nepalis in the plains, beat up a Nepali youth on Mahatma Gandhi Road that cuts through the town. Rescuing the youth, police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse the mob.

The apparent provocation was an alleged derogatory comment made by the youth at bandh-enforcers. Sunday was the first day of the two-day bandh call given by BoBBBC to prevent goods from being transported to Darjeeling. The move was to counter Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) that had announced a two-day relaxation in the 27-day bandh call given by them in the Hills to press for a separate state. Read more…

Many injured in north Bengal clash

India Blooms News

Siliguri (West Bengal), Jan 16 (IBNS) At least eight people were injured in clashes between pro and anti bandh supporters at Jaigaon in Jalpaiguri district on Sunday, police said.

However, an unofficial report claimed a 40-year-old businessman was killed in the violence at Jaigaon, about 100 km from here bordering Bhutan.

The clashes happened when some supporters of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) allegedly defied the 48-hour bandh called by Amar Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Banchao Committee (ABOBBBC), began Sunday morning.

The ABOBBBC is opposing division of West Bengal while the GJM is demanding separate statehood in the hills of Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars for the Gorkhas, who are ethnic Nepalese.

Additional superintendent of police Anup Jaiswal said five persons were injured, but denied any information about the death.

But intelligence sources gathered information saying death of a person in the clashes.

The injured were shifted to Siliguri and Jalpaiguri hospital. Read more…