GNLF supporters shout slogans at the Panighata police outpost on Monday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, Jan. 25: Nearly 1,000 supporters of the GNLF today took out a procession in Panighata to protest the attack on three of its leaders allegedly by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha members two days ago.

The protesters also laid siege to the Panighata police outpost, 40km from here, for more than 30 minutes and withdrew after officials assured them that appropriate measures would be taken against the culprits.

The Morcha too gheraoed Darjeeling and Mirik police stations for half an hour from noon today. “Every time someone’s house or property is damaged, we are blamed. The police should be careful that our innocent members and sympathisers are not harassed,” said I.M. Pakhrin, a Morcha central committee member.

On Saturday, A.B. Thapa, accompanied by Yamlal Lama and N.B Pradhan were returning after attending a funeral of a teacher in Okayati Tea Estate on the outskirts of Mirik, when a gang, alleged to be Morcha supporters, attacked them. All the three were injured with Thapa, who is in his seventies, being wounded on the eyes. He is under treatment at a private nursing home here.

The GNLF’s Terai committee convener Rajen Mukhia had assisted the three to a nearby health centre and also filed a complaint with police, naming four Morcha leaders and some others. The Morcha has denied the charges.

Today while gheraoing the Panighata outpost, GNLF leaders shouted anti-Morcha slogans and accused the party of organising attacks on their leaders.

“We will not tolerate any more attacks on our leaders and supporters and want the police and administration to take immediate action and put the guilty Morcha supporters behind bars,” Mukhia said. “It is surprising that despite the atrocities unleashed, no step has been taken against any Morcha supporter or leader.”

The procession travelled through Panighata and ended at the police outpost. Close by, some Morcha supporters were on relay hunger strike. Schoolgirls seated on a makeshift dais and on fast watched as GNLF supporters shouted slogans. A wall of policemen separated the two groups. A delegation of GNLF members was allowed to enter the outpost to submit a memorandum.

“We were there for about 30-40 minutes and withdrew after the officer-in-charge assured us that they would conduct raids to nab the culprits,” Mukhia said. He added that his party would wait for a week or so, and if there were no results, they would resume their movement.

D.P Singh, the superintendent of police of Darjeeling, said raids were on, but no one has been arrested.