Siliguri/Darjeeling: Suspected pro-Gorkhaland activists set afire properties of an individual as his dwelling house, two trucks, a Nano car and a two-wheeler in the Dooars area of Bagracote, relatively plains area, under Jalpaiguri district, even as indefinite shut down in Darjeeling Hills entered 49th day with no government move to address the logjam in the sensitive eastern Himalaya. Besides the properties of Rajesh Periwal, another nearby house was also ransacked and damage, located near an abandoned coal company under Bagracote midnight last night. Security forces from Mal police station called fire brigade but before their arrival everything was turned to charcoal, Mr Periwal alleged today.
He alleged that many youths, identified them as Morcha supporters, with face masks on raided his house mid-night last night and beat up them before everything set on afire. However, GJM local leader Ramesh Rai denied any involvement of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, saying that despite everything has been shut in the Hills for statehood movement, Mr Periwal was busy in running his trucks near Leese river.
Local people had warned him but instead he set goons against some neigbhours resulting retaliatory act to stop him, alleged Rai. Unconfirmed sources said some ten people have been injured during clashes at the scene of crime last night. There had been no arrest yet in relations to latest violence.