Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong 30th July

A 40 year-old youth, today  attempted self-immolation on the Damber Chowk here in support of a separate Gorkhaland state, has

Mangal Singh Rajput(40)  from Dr.Graham Homes village who had come to the town  to take part in the second day strike program with GJM party flag tied around his arm and forehead and  poured kerosene over his body somewhere near mani raod linking to damber chowk

Suddenly With flame on his legs and hand he came chanting the slogan for gorkhaland after which the pickter picketing at damber chowk laid him down and tried to stop the blaze after which all of them rushed him to kalimpong sub divisional where after primary treatment he was immediately reffered to siliguri Anandaloke hospital where at this time of reporting he has been kept in ICU .

Dr,Sonam Bhutia told that he have 60% burn and his condition is critical so we have reffered him to siliguri .

This is the first instance in the hsitory of Gorkhaland agitation that a man tried to commit self immolation demanding a separate state Gorkhaland .

Col Ramesh Allay Deputy chief of GTA told the reporter that the centre and state must take the cause of Gorkhaland seriously .He said that GTA has been a failure due to the attitude of Bengal Govt. We want our separate state .

Dr.Harka bahadur Chettri MLA talking to reporter today told that he is ready to submit his resignation .' For making the agitation strong our resignation will send a strong message to state

The GJM sub divisional committee took out a torch rally in the evening demanding a separate state Gorkhaland and later sent memorandum to Governor of the state and Home minister appealing to carve out a separate state Gorkhaland citing the instance of Mangal Singh self immolation move .

Normal life was disrupted for the second day on Tuesday due to the 72-hour bandh called in the Darjeeling hills by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to demand Gorkhaland.

All shops, markets, school, colleges, government offices, banks and post offices were closed with GJM supporters gathering at Kalimpong town.

Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said that a case will be started under art 309 IPC against him