Life remains paralysed in Darjeeling hills

On the second day of the GJM-sponsored indefinite shutdown in West Bengal's Darjeeling hills, life remained paralysed Sunday with police arresting a few demonstrators.

Shops, markets, educational institutions and offices remained shut in the wake of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's (GJM) call to press for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

GJM supporters took out rallies and held protest marches across the region.

Police arrested six supporters, including three women, for picketing and putting up road blocks.

The supporters laid siege to the Darjeeling Sadar Police Station where those arrested were taken to.

GJM activists also torched a vehicle in Kalimpong sub-division.

Meanwhile, state Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee Sunday dubbed GJM's demand for a separate Gorkhaland as "stubbornness".

"The chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) has ruled out division of the state. Moreover, we don't think people of the state are in favour of such a division. The decision is purely stubbornness of the GJM and I hope better sense will prevail," said Mukherjee.

The hills have been on the boil since GJM intensified the movement for Gorkhaland -- to be carved from Darjeeling and neighbouring districts -- after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and the Congress Working Committee endorsed statehood for Telangana Tuesday.