ATTACK ON INDIANS PROPERTY/CITIZENS BY THE BHOPALIS/FOREIGN NEPALIS(BENEFICIARIS OF 1950 INDO NEPAL AGREEMENT)

BANERHAT/SILIGURI: Riots broke out in the foothills of the Himalayas in north Bengal on Saturday morning, with large parts of the Dooars witnessing bloody street fights between the activists of GJMM and the locals. At the end of the day, two persons were dead. Adivasis and other local communities clashed with GJM supporters at Banerhat, Chamurchi, Birpara in Jalpaiguri and outskirts of Siliguri town Debidanga and Milan More, near the government circuit house. The dead have been identified as Sunil Mondol (28) of Chamurchi and Akbar Lama (45) of Ethelbari. Manas Ghosh, a Bengali, sustained bullet injuries while passing through Debidanga. The clash left hundreds injured 20 were admitted with critical injuries to hospitals spread over Jalpaiguri Sadar, Birpara and Banerhat. Many were arrested during the day, state home secretary Ardhendu Sen said at Writers' Buildings. Section 144 has been imposed in nine police station areas. The mob fury was at its worst in Chamurchi and places such as Debidanga and Milan More in Siliguri's backyard, near the government circuit house. Completely outnumbered, police failed to tackle the situation, despite threats from Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad on Friday. ABAVP (Dooars) secretary Rajesh Lakhra had threatened a civil war if GJM supporters came down from the Hills and enforced their bandh call in the Dooars on Saturday. GJM had called the bandh against police atrocities on the tribals of Lalgarh in West Midnapore. But GJM's ploy to rope in Adivasis did not work. Instead, trouble broke out in the morning when about 200 GJM supporters from Lakhipara and Gandrapara tea estates in Jalpaiguri put up a blockade on NH-31 (C) at Banerhat More. Streetfights between the bhopalis/ foreign Nepalis(bneficiaries of 1950 Indo Nepal Agreement) and the Adivasis/locals broke out after 200 GJM supporters put up a blockade on NH-31C. As the news spread, Adivasis, led by ABAVP, and also the local people chased the mob away. GJMM supporters burnt some of the shops that had kept the counters open during the bandh, and stabbed many people who dared to come in their way. Bandh supporters also set the CPM office at Chamurchi on fire. The police force was inadequate to control the mob till the RAF was deployed in the afternoon. Senior officials went to the spot. The clash soon spread to Ethelbari. Local people beat up GJM supporters, leaving three injured. The scene was similar in Odlabari and Birpara. GJJM supporters clashed with the police when they tried to block the Roads.