The army has been called out and prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC have been promulgated in Darjeeling town, to maintain law and order on Friday, after supporters of the newly constituted Gorkha Janamukti Morcha(GJM) fought pitched battles with their counterpars in GNLF led by Subhas Ghising. This left 15 injured, official reports reaching here said.

The Darjeeling district administration called in the army after GJM activists, who had brought out a huge rally as part of its programme to gherao all DGHC(Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council)offices including its headquarters at Lalkuthi, were attacked by GNLF(Gorkha National Liberation Front) supporters at various points of the hill town.
GJM, which withdrew its 96-hour bundh call, decided to stick to its gherao programme to demand a separate hill state, while GNLF pressed on with its 108 bandh in Kalimpong subdivision, demanding that the 6th Schedule be passed in the winter session of parliament. With two hill outfits not seeing eye to eye, the district administration took no risk and deployed soldiers at vulnerable points.

The CPI(M)’s district conference, which was to be held at Darjeeling, has been shifted to Siliguri in view of clashes and disturbances. Chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacherjee is slated to address a meeting in Siliguri on Saturday. In Kolkata, army and police jointly patrolled violence-hit areas in central Kolkata, as the metropolis remained peaceful for second day on Friday.

Four columns of army  conducted flag march and jointly patrolled with city police at Moulali, Mullickbazar, Ripon Street, Park Circus, Topsia, Beniapukur and adjacent areas throughout last night, city police commissioner  Goutam Mohan Chakraborty said here.

Even though no incidents or arrests have been reported, a decision on withdrawal of army in phases will be taken by the appropriate authorities after a thorough review of the situation, he added. Earlier, nearly 70 persons were taken into custody in connection with the violence after participants in a rally organised by a Muslim suddenly went berserk and turned large areas of the city into a battle field. Schools which remained closed in the affected areas, reopened and markets did normal business.

However, according to sources, the decision on withdrawal on army will depend on the situation that would emerge after return of the controversial Bangaldeshi writer Taslima Nasreen to the city. Unconfirmed reports say she might return to the city on Friday night.