Morcha women supporters demonstrate in front of the Kalimpong police station. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Kurseong/Kalimpong, Feb. 20: Members of the women’s wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha demonstrated in front of the Kalimpong police station this afternoon, demanding action against the GNLF supporters who had allegedly assaulted one of them at Monsong, around 25km from the town.

A police source said four men have already been arrested in connection with the incident that took place last evening when the Morcha supporters were returning home from a meeting. “They will be forwarded to the court tomorrow,” the source added.

Apart from the demonstration, the first day of the Morcha’s indefinite bandh in the hills passed peacefully. Both Kalimpong and Kurseong had shut down completely.

Though NH31A, the main road linking the rest of the country with Kalimpong and Gangtok, was supposed to be kept outside the purview of the bandh, Morcha supporters allowed only Sikkim-registered vehicles to pass. Cars with Bengal registration numbers were stopped and forced to turn back.

Work at the two major hydro-electric power projects currently under construction at 27th Mile and Kalijhora, both located along NH31A, was badly affected by the shutdown. “Frequent disruptions have severely impacted work at our project site,” said S. Khatua, the chief engineer of the Teesta Low Dam Project, Stage III, at 27th Mile.

Students appearing for the Madhyamik examinations were allowed trouble-free passage. All education institutions, ready to open after the long winter recess, have also been exempted from the bandh.

“Almost all the boarders of my school have arrived. Our new academic session will start from tomorrow,” said Prakash Pradhan, the director of Rockvale Academy in Kalimpong.

In Kurseong, Morcha supporters milled around Motor Stand from the morning and picketers were seen in other parts of the town as well.

The police have beefed up security by deploying forces all over Kurseong.

Today, five Morcha supporters joined the 11 people taking part in the party’s fast-unto-death programme at the Kurseong subdivisional office. The hunger strike entered its fourth day today.