FIVE AMBUSH ACCUSED FREED
The Darjeeling District and Sessions Court released five men who
had been arrested in connection with the attack on GNLF chief
Subash Ghissing last year. The release followed a Supreme Court
order. The five are Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League central committee
general secretary Amar Lama; ABGL Kalimpong unit president Norden
Lama, ABGL executive member Mohan Sharma, Jalkhaka gram panchayat
pradhan Hemant Chettri an Kamal Giri of Samsing. The other eight
accused, including Gorkha Liberation Organisation Chief Chattrey
Subba, Dimple Dewan and Saran Dewan, moved a petition stating
that no lawyer of the Darjeeling bench had accepted or defended
their cases out of fear. The panel of lawyers of the State defence
were not willing whether to defend the accused. Public prosecutor
Kartik Basak countered that the accused had not made a request
for legal aid. A 14th accused, On Raj Kotwal, was granted bail
on April 5. The next hearing has been fixed on April 24.
GNLF, CITU MEN CLASH IN KALIMPONG
GNLF supporters clashed with Citu activists in Kalimpong whent
he latter brought out a rally in support of the industrial strike
being observed throughout the country today. The incident has
spread tension across the hill town. This is the first clash between
the GNLF and the Marxists in Kalimpong since 1990. Citu supporters
alleged that GNLF activists lead by Mr. Dawa Pakhrin, DGHC councillor
from Lava-Pedong, pelted stones at Citu rallyists. They also desconnected
microphones installed for a public meeting at Damber Cowk. Traders
in microphones and other public address systems were reportedly
forbidden to rent the gadgets out to the Citu. Kalimpong Citu
also alleged they had acquired due permission for the rally and
the meeting from the local authorities.
