The indefinite bandh imposed by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha completely shut down the hills on Saturday while Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung ruled out any talks with the Mamata Banerjee government. Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong looked like ghost towns. Five companies of Central paramilitary forces, including one company of female forces, reached the hills and started route marches and patrolling. A company each of CRPF was deployed in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and the national highway to Sikkim.
***
Clashes loom as violence is spreading
MANOJ ANAND
Guwahati, Aug. 3
In the absence of any effective intervention by the government, the ongoing agitation for statehood by various ethnic groups in Assam has started taking the colour of ethnic clashes with non-tribal groups calling a 36-hour Western Assam bandh opposing a separate Bodoland from Saturday. As violence continued to rock the hill district of Karbi Anglong on Saturday, at least 13 organisations, which include the NSUI and the Youth Congress, on Saturday floated a joint action committee for an autonomous state, which will spearhead their agitation for an autonomous state of Karbi Anglong.