On Saturday, Darjeeling had witnessed widespread clashes between GJM activists and the police in which one person was killed and 35 security personnel were injured, including an India Reserve Battalion officer.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday condemned the vandalism by the GJM and alleged a "deep-rooted conspiracy". The GJM, however, claimed that two party supporters were killed in police firing. "We can not tolerate this hooliganism", Sharma said.
A large contingent of the army, paramilitary and the police are deployed in the hill state which turned a violence zone since the last few days owing to GJM's protests over the demand for a separate state in Darjeeling. A vehicle was also set on fire.Police fired teargas shells and baton-charged to disperse the mob.
These are the first reports of deaths in the protests as violence spirals in the hills following a police raid on the office of GJM chief Bimal Gurung, who is in hiding. West Bengal director general of police, Anuj Sharma, said the dead man appeared to have been shot but the circumstances were still unclear.
Several police personnel were injured in the stoning. "In this matter, the central and state government must come together", she said.
The clashes happened after the local police raided an establishment "linked to" the leader of the local protest movement, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), to recover a "cache of arms".
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GJM chief Bimal Gurung claimed that people of the hills are being tortured by the Bengal government.
Activists of the GJM, spearheading the agitation demanding a separate state since June 8, took out a protest rally from the party headquarters in Singmari. Gorkhas have been agitating for decades for a new state of "Gorkhaland" within West Bengal, claiming Bengali-speaking outsiders have exploited their resources and imposed their culture and language.
Earlier, the agitating GJM supporters on Friday torched a panchayat office at Mirik, a hydroelectric supply office at Lodhama in Darjeeling and a health centre in Rimbik-Lodhama.
GJM activists also blocked roads and staged demonstrations at many places in the Dooars - foothills covering parts of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts - in support as the agitation in the hills spilled onto the plains.
With GJM gearing up for a prolonged confrontation with West Bengal government over the Gorkhaland statehood issue, the party's leadership is planning to revive Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP) - its "peacekeeping" wing. The chief minister, other ministers, the chief secretary, home secretary were present at the meeting held at the secretariat.
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