Three days after the death of a police officer during a clash in the northern hills, West Bengal Police Director General Surajit Kar Purkayastha on Monday took stock of the situation and claimed that "everything is normal".
Purkayastha, who reached Darjeeling earlier in the day, went round the Chawkbazar area, where a blast triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on August 20 created panic among the locals.
Though no one was injured in the explosion, the impact was felt over 40 feet radius of the spot of the blast. GJM chief Bimal Gurung and two other GJMA leaders were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly waging war against the state.
"I have come here to take stock of the overall situation in the hills. What I liked here the most is that everything is normal. People are spontaneously coming out on the streets and working. A lot of tourists are here. We have a good team of police officers.They are doing a very good job," Purkayastha said in Darjeeling.
He said the locals are cooperating with the state administration and security forces to maintain peace and normalcy in the region.
"We want to see more tourists here during the coming tourist season. Everything will become normal," he hoped.
Purkayastha also visited the Darjeeling Sadar police station where he was briefed by the police about the current situation. He then spoke to drivers in the motor stand area in Chawkbazar where the blast happened enquired if they are being threatened or intimidated by any parties in the hills.
Purkayastha's visit came three days after Amitava Malik, a Sub Inspector of West Bengal police was killed and four cops were injured during an exchange of fire between the security forces and the Bimal Gurung faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in Darjeeling's Lepcha Bustee near the Sikkim border.
Through the police failed to get hold of the GJM chief Gurung, they arrested three persons and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from the GJM camp.
--IANS
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