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Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Jan. 24: The entire Darjeeling hills shut down today because of the dawn-to-dusk strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to demand the arrest of I.N. Pradhan, a GNLF leader from Kurseong.

Pradhan, who is accused of firing at Morcha supporters in Ghayabari on Tuesday night, is still missing. Police had found two unlicensed firearms in his house and arrested his wife, Deepa.

Morcha leaders said they would continue with their protests until the Kurseong branch committee president of the GNLF is brought to book, but steered clear of calling another bandh.

“We brought out a procession today and submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate, demanding the immediate arrest of Pradhan. If the administration fails to do so immediately, we will hold regular torch rallies across the hills,” Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, said in Darjeeling.

Tomorrow’s torch rally is scheduled to be held at 4.30pm.

Most commercial establishments in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong remained closed today and attendance was almost nil in government offices in all three subdivisions. There were no untoward incidents, though Morcha supporters put up pickets on the streets of the three towns early in the morning.

Later, around 500 of them courted arrest at the Kalimpong police station. They were subsequently released.

The tea gardens in the hills functioned as usual as the Morcha had decided to keep them out of the bandh’s purview. Sikkim-registered vehicles were allowed to ply on NH31A that links Gangtok to Siliguri.

The toy train service, however, was disrupted.

“We are thankful to the people for supporting us,” said Daya Dewan, the press and publicity chief of the Morcha, in Kurseong.

Harka Bahadur Chettri, a senior Morcha leader in Kalimpong, said the bandh was successful because incidents like the one involving Pradhan had to be condemned by all.

“Pradhan must be arrested at the earliest and brought to book. For all you know, he could be taking shelter at Lal Kothi (the DGHC headquarters in Darjeeling). We also urge the administration to cancel the gun licences of all former GNLF councilors,” Chettri added.

On the other hand, Dawa Pakhrin, the Kalimpong branch committee president of the GNLF, called it a “black day” for the town.

“In deference to the sentiments of the ordinary people, we have chosen to eschew the politics of bandhs. Otherwise, we could have resorted to one when one of our activists was severely injured in a khukuri attack by Morcha men at Lopchu some weeks ago,” the GNLF leader said.

Pakhrin also came out in support of his absconding party colleague. “We strongly condemn the attempt by the police to target I.N. Pradhan,” he said.