Shutdown in Darjeeling continues for second day

Markets and educational institutions remained shut for the second day Tuesday in West Bengal's Darjeeling hills as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)-sponsored 72-hour shutdown continued. No untoward incident has been reported, police said.

Markets, educational institutions and offices remained closed while vehicular movement was restricted, a police officer said.

The GJM called the shutdown to press for the creation of the separate state of Gorkhaland to be carved out of parts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of northern West Bengal.

The police have been patrolling the highways and keeping a strict vigil to prevent any untoward incident.

While sporadic incidents of people setting fire to vehicles and picketing were reported Monday, leading to the arrests of at least 50 GJM activists, no such incident was reported till Tuesday afternoon, the officer added.

Most of the tourists have been evacuated from the region.

The shutdown coincides with the Congress-led central government's reported decision to form a separate state of Telengana by splitting up Andhra Pradesh.

Contrary to the recent claims of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that there was "no apprehension of a division of Bengal", the GJM leadership has warned the state government that the "demand for Gorkhaland will never die".

The Gorkhaland movement has left many dead over the past two decades besides affecting the region's economy based on tea, timber and tourism.

On July 18, 2011, a tripartite agreement was signed between the GJM and the state and central governments for setting up a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous and elected hill council armed with more powers than its predecessor -- the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council formed in the late 1980s.

The GJM now runs the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration after sweeping its maiden elections held in July 2012. The Trinamool had pulled out of the polls.

Gurung has also threatened to quit as the GTA's chief executive.