Paramilitary personnel today staged flag-marches in West Bengal's commercial hub of Siliguri and the army was asked to stand by as clashes between pro- and anti-Gorkhaland activists erupted during a 48-hour bandh that paralysed normal life.
Police used teargas when clashes broke out at Durganagar, Azadnagar, Champasar and near the Mahananda bridge in Siliguri town, besides Malbazar and Odlabari in the Dooars, Inspector General of Police KL Tamta said.
The bandh, called by little-known groups Amra Bangali, Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee Committee, Janajagaran Manch and Jana Chetna Manch, was total with shops downing shutters and schools remaining closed.
Two companies of para-military Sashastra Seema Bal carried out flag-marches in the town, Tamta said.
West Bengal Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakrabarty told reporters in Kolkata that "for today, army call-out will be put on hold, but they have been kept on alert".
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee earlier said in Kolkata that "I contacted the army, discussed the situation with them and asked them to patrol the streets as early as possible in Siliguri and its vicinity." He said unrest was growing in Siliguri and its adjoining areas and appealed to the people of Siliguri and all political parties to maintain peace.
The state government had earlier asked the army to patrol the streets in Siliguri and its vicinity but changed its decision after a review of the situation, Bhattacharjee said this evening.
The home secretary said "the situation has been improving and it was reviewed by the divisional commissioner, the district magistrate and the Darjeeling police commissioner at a meeting in Siliguri." He said police were patrolling the streets.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were clamped in three police station areas in Siliguri.
The chief minister has called an all-party meeting on June 17 to discuss the situation. He said some vehicles ran and some offices opened in Siliguri with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) relaxing its indefinite bandh for 60 hours till Saturday morning. He said most stranded tourists had reached Siliguri from Darjeeling.
The Centre rushed about 1,000 paramilitary personnel to deal with the situation.
