Darjeeling, Aug 5: Six members of Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM) were arrested on Sunday for stopping the vehicle of Superintendent of Police during the bandh in Darjeeling hills.
According to the police, GJM members, including a woman, were arrested early Sunday morning for stopping the vehicle of Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal during the second day of the indefinite bandh in Darjeeling and other pending cases against them.
They were arrested from their residences here and taken to Darjeeling Sadar police station for interrogation, sources said.
A large number of GJM supporters and local leaders gheraoed the Sadar police station at about 10.30 AM and demanded their immediate release. The arrested persons were later taken to Darjeeling District Hospital amid sloganeering by GJM supporters, sources said.
In a separate incident, GJM supporters set ablaze a passenger vehicle on NH-31A at Kalijhora in Kalimpong sub-division. The police and CRPF personnel have been patrolling the areas and Special Striking Force have reached there to nab the miscreants, they said.
Meanwhile, normal life continues to be paralysed in Darjeeling hills on the second day on Sunday due to an indefinite bandh demanding separate Gorkhaland state.
All shops, markets remained closed in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in the district.
GJM workers have erected road blockades in many places. All tourists have left the hills and transport have been off roads.
Meanwhile, the body of Mangal Singh Rajput, the GJM supporter who attempted immolation six days ago and died yesterday was being taken to Kalimpong from Siliguri for the last rites.
Rajput was under treatment at a Siliguri hospital after suffering 90 per cent burns during his immolation bid.
A large number of Gorkhaland supporters stood on both sides of Sevoke Road leading to Darjeeling Hills shouting slogans in support of a separate state and calling Rajput the 'first martyr of Gorkhaland'.
A large number of GJM supporters have also congregated at Dumbar chowk in Kalimpong town, where Rajput had made his fatal bid, waiting for the body.
"Nobody had thought about our 107-year-old demand for Gorkhaland. Not even Trinamool Congress," GJM assistant general secretary Benoy Tamang told the gathering.
"We are carrying out a peaceful democratic movement as we believe in Gandhiji's non violence. We believe it will get us our Gorkhaland. But if there is repression and oppression we will change as per our programme," he added.
