Namthang clash between SDF and Golay supporters leaves 7 injured, 29 behind bars

SECTION 144 IMPOSED IN NAMCHI, FLAG MARCH TAKEN OUT
PURAN TAMANG
NAMCHI, 15 Oct: South District administration imposed section 144 CrPC in Namchi bazaar today as the South district headquarter town simmered with tension in the wake of the clash between SDF and Golay supporters at Namthang on Sunday night. Eleven persons, 7 SDF and 4 Golay supporters were injured in the scuffle which occurred at Namthang at around 9 p.m. last night. Before dawn today, 29 Golay supporters, including some of the leaders, had been picked up in connection with the violence and have since been placed under judicial custody at the district jail here. The Sunday night episode was among the more violent of the confrontations between the two groups and also registered damage to public property and vandalisation of vehicles. It was a tense beginning of the week here and the district authorities, in an obvious move to discourage further deterioration of the situation, imposed Section 144 of the CrPC here this afternoon and also took out a flag march through town to reiterate the presence of adequate forces and the will to dissuade any law and order violations.
following a clash between supporters of dissident SDF MLA, PS Tamang and SDF supporters last night.
Supporters of Upper Burtuk MLA PS Tamang [Golay], it is learnt, were returning from Namthang towards Gangtok when they clashed with SDF supporters near the SDF party office in Namthang. Tension has been simmering here for a while now and reports of a possible conflict had reportedly started coming in before the actual confrontation happened, it is informed. The strain snapped at around 9 p.m. and a violent scuffle ensued, ending with many on both sides sustaining injuries.
A total of 5 vehicles, all belonging to SDF supporters including a private car belonging to area MLA, Minister Tilu Gurung, were severely damaged in this clash and one shop vandalized.
SP South, Manoj Tiwari, while speaking to the media persons here at Namchi today informed that, he received telephonic information about the situation at around 8:45 PM following which prompt action was taken to bring the situation under control.
Since Namthang is nearer to Rangpo than Namchi [under whose jurisdiction it falls], assistance was sought from Rangpo Police and similarly, personnel from Melli PS, Namchi PS, Singtam PS were also called in to bring the situation under control, he informed.
Detachments of IRBn were also called from Ranipool and Pipaley. With the co-ordination of these Police teams headed by their respective OCs, the situation was finally brought under control and the injured were taken to the hospital, the SP informed.
Along with SP South, SDM Namchi HQ Karma R Bonpo, SDPO [Namchi] Gegee Norbu and SDPO Rangpo were also involved in the operation.
Following an FIR lodged at Namthang Polcie Outpost by one Nima Chandra Tamang of Lower Karek, Namthang, against PS Tamang, Nima Theeng, Nuk Tshering Bhutia and others, Police intercepted the Golay supporters and a total of 29 Golay supporters were arrested from Mamring and its surrounding areas by around 4 AM this morning.
Later in the day, all the arrested persons were presented at the District Court, South and West, Namchi from where there were sent for 15 days Judicial Custody at the District Jail here. Police has registered the case under sections 147/ 148/ 149/ 447/ 427/ 323/ 506 of IPC along with Section 25 of Arms Act 1959 at Namchi PS and the investigation has been begun.
The SP further confirmed that the Police has also received an FIR against Minister Tilu Gurung, former Minister GM Gurung and others from the other party. In this regard, the SP said that Police has registered that case against the supporters of ruling SDF party as well and action will be initiated against them.
Police acted upon the FIR which was received first and will now act upon the second FIR, he explained.
Meanwhile, vehicles from both the sides involved in the clash have been seized.
Out of the 7 SDF supporters injured in the clash, two have sustained grievous injuries while 5 have suffered minor injuries. Prahlad Gurung and Subash Rai are more seriously injured and are under treatment. They were allegedly attacked with khukuris and iron rods by Golay supporters.
The situation has normalized now to the extent that there have been no further breakdowns in the law and order situation. The flag march here was led by the DM [South], AK Singh, and the SP and included a troop of IRBn, SAP and South District Police personnel.
Stating that the situation is totally under control, the SP informs that, one platoon of IRBn from Pipaley, one section of SAP from Pangthang, 2 sections of IRBn from Ranipool and 1 section of SAP attached with Namchi PS has been deployed to check the law and order situation at Namchi and Namthang.