TELANGANA EFFECT:
VIOLENCE IN ASSAM AND
INDEFINITE BANDH IN
DARJEELING
Two
persons were killed in police firing in escalating violence in the agitation
for a separate Karbi Anglong state in Assam on the lines of Telangana which
also spurred GJM today,1st August,2013 to call for an indefinite
bandh in Darjeeling from Saturday for Gorkhaland.As large-scale arson broke out, the Army,
called in yesterday, was on stand by to assist the Karbi Anglong district
administration with police and paramilitary forces on patrol, official sources
in Diphu said.One person Gautam Timung was killed in police firing today taking
the death toll to two in Karbi Anglong district with statehood agitators
defying indefinite curfew and targeting All India Radio and other public
buildings in Diphu over the demand for a separate state carved out of two Assam
districts.
The incident happened
when agitators tried to remove a section of railway line after they were
repaired following removal of another portion at a place between Doldoli and
Dhansiri on the Diphu-Dimapur line, official sources said.22-year-old college
student Rahul Signa, who was injured in police firing yesterday, died of his
injuries late last night, the sources said.The police fired in the air near the
All India Radio building after agitators set ablaze satellite dishes halting
broadcast and relay and torched a waiting room made of wood, the sources said.Also
set on fire were wooden offices of the Public Works Department, Forest and
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the sources said.The office of the Assam Sahitya Sabha,
Assam's apex literary body, was damaged as also books, they said.Reversing its decision within hours after the arrival of central forces in the hills, the GJM said it took a 'hard decision' for an indefinite bandh in Darjeeling from Saturday to demand a Gorkhaland state on the lines of Telangana.Accusing the West Bengal government of trying to 'crush a democratic movement', GJM leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri said, "We had to take a hard stand.""There will be indefinite bandh in the hills from August 3. There will be no relaxation," he added.Earlier in the day, GJM general secretary and spokesman Roshan Giri had said that in view of Eid, the GJM would give some relaxation and the shut down would be for 96-hours.West Bengal miniser Gautam Deb said that steps would be taken to deal with any violence, while stating that the Centre would be equally accountable.
Prof. John Kurakar
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