Fresh violence in Darjeeling, Mamata calls emergency meeting

KOLKATA: Fresh violence broke out in Darjeeling this morning after women and youth wing of the Gorkha Janmuktu Morcha took out a rally . Thousands of Morcha supporters , specially women, were moving towards Patlebas, operational head quarter and residence of Morcha president Bimal Gurung, when the security forces stopped them leading to clashes.

Police had to resort to lathi charge and lob tear gas shells at Singmari ( Morcha 's office) for dispersing the mob. However the mob kept coming back at regular intervals and pelted stones at police .

The rally was taken out in protest against the police "excesses" in the region and raid at Bimal Gurung's residence . The situation became tense after police arrested Vikram Rai, son of GJM MLA Amar Rai and Morcha's media manager. Rai was picked up from his residence at the wee hours and granted bail late in the morning .

There are reports of arson in Bijonnari area where the PWD office was set ablaze. On the contrary, the house of GJM leader Binoy Tamang was ransacked.

Meanwhile, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has called for an emergency meeting at Nabanna today and asked all the chairman of the development boards to be present in the meeting.