Hills tense as shutdown enters 99th day

Darjeeling: Several shops remained open in Darjeeling on Thursday even as the situation in the Hills remained tensed as the indefinite shutdown called by the GJM for a separate state of Gorkhaland entered its 99th day.

Although, no incidents of violence were reported since Wednesday night, police and security personnel have made special security arrangements in the Hills and are maintaining a tight vigil to avoid any untoward incident.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and other hill parties took out rallies demanding that the Centre should immediately intervene and start the dialogue process considering the sentiments of the people of the hills.

The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) yesterday urged the Centre to initiate a dialogue with all the stakeholders so that normalcy is restored in the Darjeeling hills.

Several shops and markets in the hills remained open braving threats and intimidation by the GJM activists.

However, several shops which opened in Mirik and Kurseong day on Tuesday remained closed fearing backlash from the GJM supporters.

For the 12th day in a row, police along with the administration, appealed to the locals over public address systems to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills.

Peace rallies were taken out by the residents at Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik, while the GJM supporters took out rallies in support of a separate Gorkhaland and the ongoing shutdown in sections of Darjeeling, Sonada and Kalimpong, the police said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had urged the agitators in Darjeeling to withdraw their strike and restore normalcy. Internet services remain suspended in the Hills since June 18.