SPCC member attacked at Namthang; Assault politically motivated says Bhandari

NAMCHI/ GANGTOK, 12 Aug: Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee member, JB Darnal, who was brutally attacked at his residence at Bingbong, Namthang near Mamring last night at 7:35 PM was brought to Central Referral Hospital, Gangtok, for a CT Scan from South District Hospital this evening. Mr. Darnal, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Zoom-Salghari, has suffered grievous injuries to his scalp along with injuries to his hands, abdomen and back.
Mr. Darnal is convinced that the attack was premeditated and politically motivated.
While speaking to NOW! today, Mr. Darnal said that the attackers had obviously scouted the area in advance. “Otherwise, they would not have been familiar enough with the area to have escaped so quickly,” he said.
He added that he has no personal enmities to have warranted such an attack and remains convinced that the motivation was political.
About the incident, he said: “I had just finished eating dinner when two persons clad in black masks barged in and threw chilly-powder on my face before they started hacking me with a bamphok. Police have also found a bamphok with the price tag of Rs.450 still stuck on the handle. They had planned the attack in advance and knew from where they could make their escape. It was when I too got hold of my khukuri and retaliated that they ran away. The mask of one attacker was also left behind in the scuffle. One of them could also be injured”.
Not naming names directly, when asked whom he suspected of being behind the attack, Mr. Darnal dropped a broad hint stating that the hearing of his challenge in the High Court against the institution of the RK Patra Commission by the State Government was coming up on 22 August.  
Present at the hospital here was the SPCC president, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, who reiterated that the entire episode had a political agenda and questioned the law and order situation in the State under the present government.
“I do not have faith in the government as even till now we have not got justice for the killings of four of our party supporters that include South district general secretary, Taraman Chettri, Pema Lepcha of Chakung, Pempa Bhutia of Sang and Dhan Maya Darnal of Jorethang, all of who were murdered in cold blood,” the SPCC president stated.    
He further stated that the police however were investigating the case and that he had spoken to the DGP yesterday seeking the quick arrest of the accused. He also informed that dog squads had been put in action and the police were investigating the matter thoroughly.
While stating that he did not want to divulge further information as it could hamper the investigations, Mr. Bhandari said that at Namchi hospital a huge gathering of sympathizers had gathered condemning the brutal attack, however, no representative of the SDF party had come forward to condemn the heinous attack.
Meanwhile, the District Collector [South] and Superintendent of Police [South] visited Mr Darnal at the Namchi District hospital this morning while Opposition leaders Bhojraj Rai, BJP State unit president Padam Chettri, SPCC vice president Lalit Sharma Adhikari, Mr. Bhandari himself and other leaders also met Mr Darnal.
An FIR was filed at Namchi Police Station following which a case has been registered as Case no. (39)12 Under Section 458/307/34 IPC against unknown persons.
The BJP-Sikkim president has condemned the attack and called for the early arrest of the culprits. Also calling for strict action against the guilty by the state government he stressed that this incident should not be ignored like similar other attacks on members of the opposition have been in the past.
Mr Chettri supported the “politically motivated” contention attack and while stating that although it is not clear as to who was behind the incident but if the ruling party is found to have had a hand in it then they will be prompted to tackle the case accordingly.
ASESE&UA has also condemned the attack as yet another example of “lawlessness” taking roots in the state. Many such attacks on vocal individuals, groups including members of the media have been witnessed in the past and every time the state’s police have failed to nab the culprits, states a press release issued by the association.

SDF condemns attack, rubbishes allegations against it

GANGTOK, 12 Aug: Sikkim Democratic Front has condemned the attack on Congress leader JB Darnal by some antisocial elements at his home at Namthang. The SDF party has also demanded the early arrest of the culprits and sought strict action against the guilty. The party also prayed for the quick recovery of Mr Darnal.

A press release issued by SDF spokesperson, Bhim Dahal, claims that the incident is an attempt to defame the ruling party and the state government by some anti-social elements. The allegations made against the SDF party by opposition leaders “without thinking once and without verifying the situation” is not right, expresses the release.

The party maintains that the SDF party has always believed in democracy, justice and law since its formation and has even been successful in establishing a democratic system of administration in the state. The party has urged the people to deliver their individual responsibility in order to maintain peace in the state and to prevent those trying to instigate violence and spread terror in the state.