SDF AND GOLAY SUPPORTERS TRADE ALLEGATIONS OVER NAMTHANG VIOLENCE

Golay supporters accuse Minister Gurung of instigating violence, demand her arrest and resignation
GANGTOK, 15 Oct: Supporters of the disgruntled SDF MLA, PS Tamang [Golay], have demanded the arrest and resignation of the Buildings & Housing Minister, Tilu Gurung, alleging that she led the attack on Golay supporters at Namthang bazaar last night.
Addressing a press conference here today, former SDF MLA, Bhojraj Rai, alleged that the Minister along with former Minister GM Gurung, KB Limboo, Prahalad Gurung and other supporters, all armed with rods and khukuris, attacked the Golay supporters while they were returning to Gangtok from Namthang.
Mr. Rai was joined at the press conference by MN Dahal, Kiran Chettri, Sonam Bhutia and former Minister Phuchung Bhutia.  
Addressing the press conference, Mr Rai informed that the MLA along with his supporters was at Namthang to attend an Antheyesti Kriya after finishing a public meeting at Assam Lingzey. He further informed that after that he along with the MLA and other supporters left for Namchi, the rest of the supporters returned to Gangtok.
According to Mr Rai, vehicles returning to Gangtok were stopped by the Minister Tilu Gurung, former Minister, Mr Gurung and targeted with stone-pelting near the SDF party office at Namthang after which the vehicles were attacked. The Golay supporters fought back to save their lives, he contended further.
“This attack was not just on our supporters but was actually meant for Mr Golay as they targeted just the first vehicle thinking Mr Golay was in that vehicle,” Mr Rai alleged today.
He went on to allege that when Mr Golay’s supporters went to Rangpo Police Station to report the attack, the police refused to file an FIR saying that the area where the incident occurred did not fall under their jurisdiction. In the meanwhile, the SP [South] with his team arrested 27 supporters including Nima Theeng, Jacob Khaling and others at Namchi Police Station.
Mr Rai further informed that their FIR filed at Namchi Police Station against Minister Tilu Gurung, former Minister GM Gurung , KB Limboo, Prahlad Gurung and others had not been registered yet.
At present the 27 Golay supporters arrested are on a hunger strike and have placed two demands; first to register their case and second to arrest the people listed in their FIR. Mr Rai also demanded that their case should also go simultaneously as they were attacked first.
He also accused the South District Police of being biased and blamed the SP South for the incident. He argued that the South District administration should have been better prepared and prevented such an incident when the code of conduct is in force in the state.
They also demanded the immediate transfer of the SP South by the Election Department.
On allegations that they were getting people from outside and using West Bengal vehicles, he challenged the ruling party to identify the outsiders from among the 27 persons arrested. He further mentioned that many of them have vehicles with WB registration numbers due to the high taxes and harassment in applying for a Sikkim number.