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Clashes erupted between Kolkata Police and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters in Darjeeling's Takvar on 13 October.
On 27 September, GJM chief Bimal Gurung suspended the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling, 105 days after it brought life in the hills to a standstill.
An Indian Express report said that Darjeeling police filed a suo motu FIR against GJM leader Bimal Gurung and 20 others after sub-inspector Amitava Malik was killled following clashes between state police and the GJM chief’s alleged supporters.
Expelled GJM leader and Chairman of the Board of Administrators (BoA) for Darjeeling Binay Tamang blamed party supremo Bimal Gurung for today’s violence in the hills and said the people of the region “will not allow Darjeeling to turn into Kashmir”.
He told reports at the Kolkata airport: “After so many days of an indefinite shutdown, the people are happy that peace is returning to the hills. It is really unfortunate that when peace and stability are returning, Gurung and his men are making desperate attempts to disturb them. Gurung is entirely responsible for today's violence.”
West Bengal ADG Law and Order Anuj Sharma said that police have recovered six AK-47 rifles, and one 9mm pistol, ammunition, bombs and bomb making material. He added that they also have additional information that Bimal Gurung had “instructed” his cadres
He said the police faced "heavy fire power" from the group which led to the death of a police sub-inspector and injuries to four police personnel.
Clashes erupted between Kolkata Police and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters in Darjeeling's Takvar on 13 October. One sub-inspector was killed in clashes, reported PTI.
Trouble started around 5 am in the morning, when a police search party raided a hideout inside the forest near the Patlebas area, a stronghold of Gurung, the police said.
Acting on an information that Gurung was hiding in the area, the police conducted raids during which the GJM leader's supporters fired and pelted stones.
Several police personnel, including a sub-inspector, were injured in clashes with GJM supporters loyal to party supremo Bimal Gurung at a forest in the Darjeeling hills.
GJM leader Bimal Gurung on 27 September announced the withdrawal of its indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling, 105 days after the shutdown began.
The announcement came hours after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh appealed to them to call off the strike and invited them for talks to find an amicable solution to the issue.
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