Absconding Gorkhaland administration member arrested in policeman murder case in Darjeeling

Kolkata: Darjeeling Police has arrested a former member of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) for the murder of sub-inspector Amitabha Malik during the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation, a senior police officer said on Monday.

The officer said Prakash Gurung, who is currently a leader of the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), was arrested from his residence at Basbotey Rimbik in Darjeeling on Sunday morning and sent to 14-day judicial custody after being produced in a local court later in the day.

"Gurung had been on the run since the case was lodged and an arrest warrant was issued following the murder in 2017," the officer added.

A charge-sheet filed in the case in January 2018 had named 27 people, including Gurung and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung.

It has been alleged that during the 2017 agitation demanding statehood for Darjeeling, which lasted over 100 days, Gurung and his party members took shelter in Rangit jungle. When police raid the place, SI Malik was killed in a clash with Gurung’s supporters.