SSB jawans patrol Siliguri on Thursday. They were called in at 4pm to maintain law and order. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

June 12: Most traders and transporters of Siliguri did not dare to send supplies or vehicles to the hills today as supporters of the bandh called by the Amra Bangali patrolled the streets of the trade hub.

Last night, local mobs opposed to the Gorkha Janmukit Morcha had ransacked five trucks loaded with goods bound for Darjeeling at Jhankar More in Siliguri.

A long line of trucks could be seen parked near the Champasari regulated market and the wholesale market at Khalapara throughout the day. Siliguri MLA Asok Bhattacharya said if needed, the trucks would be sent to the hills with police escort.

However, 15 trucks carrying foodgrain and pulses made it to Darjeeling, having started from Siliguri early in the morning and managing to escape the wrath of the anti-Morcha mobs.

In Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, shops quickly ran out of goods today as people went on a buying spree, trying to stock up as much as they can before the Morcha’s indefinite shutdown in the hills resumes.

“We had stocks to last 10 days under normal circumstances, but everything was sold today,” said M. C. Thirani of Thirani Enterprise, one of the largest whole-sellers in Darjeeling.

However, B.M. Garg, the president of the Darjeeling Chamber of Commerce, said there was no reason to panic as more trucks were coming up. “The situation is not bad at the moment,” he said.

Hill traders are thinking about alternative arrangements. “We will have to explore other routes and one of them is bringing supplies from Sikkim via Jorethang,” a trader in Darjeeling said.

Residents of Darjeeling are also looking at the possibility of getting food items from Pashupati Fatak, 30km from the town on the border with Nepal. “The traders might not be able to bring in the trucks, but we can definitely go and shop inside Nepal,” said Ratan Gurung, a resident.

Morcha president Bimal Gurung said his party would explore all alternatives to bring essential commodities to Darjeeling. “We will ensure that food enters Darjeeling at any cost,” Gurung said.

In Kalimpong, however, traders are worried about the depleting stocks.

“Stores are running out of items like sugar, rice and wheat. If they can replenish their stocks tomorrow, things will look up,” said Ajay Agarwal, the secretary of the Kalimpong Chamber of Commerce.

The subdivisional officer of Kalimpong, P. T. Sherpa, said: “The situation is still manageable and we will do everything to avoid a food crisis,” Sherpa said.