The Telegraph

Alipurduar, Feb. 8: Supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha “successfully” held a memory meeting at Birpara last night, hours after they had been arrested for assembling for the purpose flouting a prohibitory order and released on bail.

The Adivasi Vikas Parishad had observed a dawn-to-dusk bandh in the Dooars to thwart the meeting, but the Morcha members gathered at the Birpara Nepali High School grounds about 8pm. Police said they had no information about the gathering.

The meeting was organised in memory of Akbar Lama who had been killed in a clash between the members of the Morcha and the Parishad on February 7 last year.

The Morcha had sought permission for the meeting at the same venue, but the police refused and imposed Section 144 in Birpara.

Later, another group of Morcha members numbering around 100 were taken into custody while marching to the Birpara police station to demand the release of those arrested earlier. All were taken to Alipurduar and released on bail in the evening. They again started for Birpara, 65km from Alipurduar, and offered tributes to Akbar Lama.

Shyamal Gurung, the organising secretary of the Morcha in the Dooars, Saroswati Pradhan, a central committee member, and Ranjit Thapa of the outfit’s youth wing, delivered speeches. Every speaker criticised yesterday’s police action and congratulated the local leaders for organising the meeting in a short time. The supporters were exhorted to participate in the movement for Gorkhaland more actively.

Microphones and lights were used for the meeting that continued for two hours.

The police claimed ignorance about the evening gathering. “Section 144 was imposed in the Birpara police station area, but we had no information that the Morcha supporters would again assemble at the school ground and hold the memorial service. We had arrested at least 350 Morcha supporters throughout yesterday,” said David Lepcha, the Alipurduar subdivisional officer of police.

The Parishad said the bandh was successful and its supporters had left for homes by 6pm. “So, nobody was available to stall the evening gathering. The Morcha plans to organise a meeting at Kalchini tomorrow and we have told the police that they will be responsible if any violence occurs,” said John Barla, the president of the Dooars-Terai Coordination Committee of the Parishad.

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