Jaigaon/Siliguri, March 16: The interior ministry of Bhutan has issued a directive barring Bhutanese subjects from entering India through Phuentsholing for the next two days beginning today.

Sources in the border town of Jaigaon said the directive was issued immediately after the attack by KLO militants at Banglarjhar in Jalpaiguri district on Sunday, in which two youths were killed.

The Banglajhar incident was the second major attack by KLO militants after the Royal Bhutan Army offensive to clear the outfit’s camps in Bhutan.

Sources said the directive was issued to ensure the safety of Bhutanese subjects. The Himalayan kingdom had earlier expressed apprehensions over the safety of its nationals after it launched an offensive against the Ulfa-NDFB-KLO combine holed up in that country.

The Indian Army is being deployed at “vantage” points to ensure security to vehicles and people travelling from Bhutan.

Inspector-general of police (north Bengal), Vageesh Mishra, confirmed that a directive had been issued to Bhutanese citizens wanting to travel inside India. “Today is the second day when Bhutanese nationals are not allowed to enter India through the Phuentsholing gate. Overall security and frisking has been beefed up on the Indian side of the international border.”

Trade activities in Jaigaon and surrounding areas have been badly hit by the directive. Businessmen in this border town depend on Bhutanese subjects to successfully conduct their businesses.

“We depend heavily on the Bhutanese to run our business. I do not know what will happen to us if free movement between the two countries gets affected,” said Ram Prasad, a cloth merchant.

The Bhutan government had also imposed restrictions on vehicles crossing over into India after the RBA action. As result, the Calcutta-Bhutan, Bhutan-Siliguri and Bhutan-Samchi buses have not been plying. Indian vehicles, however, are allowed to enter Bhutan through Phuentsholing.

Tea garden deaths

Administrative apathy has driven five tea garden workers to death at the Santali Tea Estate in Kalchini block in the past 15 days, reports our Jaigaon correspondent.

The dead have been identified as Bandhan Minch, Birsha Kujur, Ganesh Tirki, Rabi Khalku and Hondo Tirki.

The garden has remained closed for the last six months after its management failed to reach an agreement with union leaders.

Records show that 25 people have died due to water-borne diseases in the garden in 2001. In 2003 at least six workers had died of various diseases.

Workers of the tea garden have also protested against inaction on the part of the local administration. They blame the government and labour department officials for failing to address specific problems. Workers had alsobeen demanding potable water and other facilities since the past few months.