On the boil for the past 10 days over a separate state demand, Darjeeling today witnessed widespread clashes between GJM activists and the police in which one person was killed and 35 security personnel were injured, including an IRB officer seriously.

This was the first death since violent protests returned to Darjeeling on June 8, after a gap of a few years.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) workers hurled petrol bombs, stones and bottles at the police at several places which led the security forces to lob teargas shells and resort to baton-charge to disperse the mobs, a police official said.

Army contingents were deployed to control the situation and they staged flag marches in several areas of the violence-hit hill district, including Darjeeling and Kurseong, where the indefinite shutdown to press for a separate Gorkhaland entered the third day.

Singmari in Darjeeling turned into a battleground as GJM activists threw petrol bombs and stones at the anti-riot police personnel, who fired teargas shells and lathi-charged the agitators.

The incident, in which several people were injured, prompted the administration to deploy the Army.

An Army official said six columns (around 250 personnel) continued to deployed in the district and the situation in Kalimpong was tense.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata that India Rerserve Battalion’s Assistant Commandant Kiran Tamang was critically injured in the violence.

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