Gangtok: There was violence in Sikkim’s Namchi town on Monday when a rally demanding speedy justice in the mysterious death of a 21-year-old youth leader turned restive and threw stones and bricks, injuring some police personnel.
Many members of the rally and police personnel sustained minor injuries during the exchange of stones and lathis at Kazitar, few meters ahead of the restaurant-cum-residence where late Padam Gurung was last seen before his mysterious death. A couple of persons were detained by police and later released.
Section 144 was imposed in the district town and police patrolling was intensified in Namchi, where the situation is now under control, he said.
The rally was organised by All Sikkim Gurung Tamu Buddhist association. The rally was a display of public outrage, especially those from Padam Gurung’s village of Chuba Perbing, over the delayed justice and conclusion of the death case. Representatives of various political parties also took part in the rally, but as they insisted, their participation was as a Sikkimese and in solidarity with the late Gurung’s family.
Shouts of ‘justice for Padam Gurung’ and unprintable slogans against Sikkim Police resounded during the round on the Namchi town streets.
The rally from Kisan Bazaar had started on an ominous note with the participants tussling with police personnel over allegations that the men in uniform tried to snatch away the placards with photos of late Padam Gurung.
After making a round of Namchi town, the rally was to end at Bhanjyang Road but the members, considering of elderly and young, were firm to head down to the particular restaurant-cum-residence at Kazitar road.
The second tussle, more intense this time, took place at Bhanjyang Road where the rally participants were told to disperse after the conclusion of the given route. After several minutes of sloganeering and argument, the rally members managed to break the police barricade and marched down to the Kazitar road.
A huge police security team along with anti-riot teams formed a protective cordon between the rally and the restaurant-cum-residence. The multi-storied building is also the residence of an individual whose name has been doing rounds on social media as the prime accused for Gurung’s death.
For about one and half hours, the police managed to hold the agitated crowd at bay while issuing several warnings that they had gone beyond the permitted rally route and is liable for police action. However, with alleged provocation coming from the residence, there was some stone pelting on the residence, and the situation gradually escalated between the crowd and police.
At around 1:50 pm, police fired tear gas shells and lathi-charged the crowd, dispersing the mob and clearing the inflammable spot.
Minutes after the crowd was dispersed, a man emerged at the top floor’s balcony and was seen shouting towards the direction, the near empty road. He was sternly directed by the police to cease to go back inside the house.
The unrest did not end with the lathi-charge. There was another round of heated arguments between some police officers and rally members at Central Park over the “arrest” of some rally members. It was later clarified that two persons were “detained” and released soon.
Rallies were regularly held in Namchi town seeking justice for late Padam Gurung with his family members asserting that Gurung was murdered and did not meet his death after being swept away by the overflowing drain.
The youth leader Padam Gurung was the president of the student representative council of Namchi Government College. His body of the was found in a drain at Kazitar area of Namchi on June 28 under suspicious conditions.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. We demand immediate action now,” Prem Gurung, the brother of the dead student leader said.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
He claimed that there was ample proof with the police to declare the case as murder and apprehend the culprits. He wondered why the police refrained from divulging the facts.
The Sikkim government constituted a SIT to investigate the death. A judicial inquiry under a High Court judge was initiated in July by Chief Minister P S Tamang. The report of the judicial inquiry is expected to be submitted on August 12.
Also Read | Sikkim film producer sues Bengal film maker for allegedly scamming Rs 1 cr