By IANS,
Siliguri (West Bengal) : Hundreds of pro-Gorkhaland activists blockaded a crucial highway linking Sikkim to the rest of the country while shops and offices remained closed in Darjeeling district Tuesday, on day two of an indefinite shutdown called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) to demand a separate state in the northern part of West Bengal.
Hundreds of the GJM activists put up a blockade on National Highway-31A, the only road link between Sikkim and the rest of the country, cutting off road connectivity with neighbouring states.
Kalimpong Additional Superintendent of Police Krishnabahadur Dorji said: “GJM activists put up a blockade on National Highway 31A since today (Tuesday) morning at the Bengal-Sikkim border of Rongpo. They also staged blockades on two other national highways, NH-31 and NH-55, which pass through Darjeeling.
“We are sending reinforcements to remove the blockade as the highway is the lifeline of Sikkim. Vehicular movement has come to a halt on this highway since early morning.”
In the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, normal life has been affected since the indefinite shutdown began Monday noon. Shops and offices remained closed, tourist vehicles stayed off the roads and hundreds of tourists and students moved down to the plains.
Ambulances and vehicles belonging to the army or carrying essential items like cooking gas have been kept out of the purview of the GJM protest.
Meanwhile, the district administration has alerted police stations and other government establishments in the hills and asked them to take measures to prevent any untoward incident during the shutdown.
The GJM, spearheading a movement in the hills for a separate Gorkhaland, organised indefinite shutdowns twice in the hills last year and also in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls this year, severely hitting tea and tourism – the bread and butter of the region.
Tripartite talks held last year in New Delhi had failed to break the deadlock.