Martam Nazitar ward panchayat assaulted, SDF’s Zilla panchayat booked

GANGTOK, 07 Nov: There are a total of 3 FIRs lodged with the police in connection with the incidents at Adampool and Yanthang Martam, East Sikkim, which led to the hospitalization of a woman Independent candidate, Geeta Sharma. One FIR was lodged with the Ranipool police and the other two with the Singtam police.
What is confounding is that she was assaulted upon by her own party members allegedly led by the Zilla Panchayat Deepak Tamang. This, because lthough the victim had contested the panchayat ward polls as an Independent, she, as per reports, is affiliated to the SDF party.
Deepak Tamang, the SDF Zilla Panchayat elect from Byeng-Martam, was arrested by the Singtam police late in the evening on 06 November. He has also been challaned by the Ranipool police for having taken out a victory rally without prior permission.
The first incident occurred on the Yanthang Martam road where the motor rally of Deepak Tamang intercepted the supporters of the complainant, Geeta Sharma at around 3 PM on 06 November. She had contested and won the Martam Nazitar ward as an independent candidate albeit one with clear SDF party affiliation. As per police records, she then proceeded to congratulate the zilla panchayat elect and wanted to offer him khadas but this was rejected by Deepak Tamang. As per reports he and his supporters then began threatening her and a scuffle ensued. Geeta Sharma was reportedly dragged away and the SDF party flag being carried by her supporters was also forcefully taken away from them.
However, Geeta Sharma, who is undergoing medical treatment at the Central Referral Hospital here, while speaking to NOW! today, clearly denied having approached the Zilla Panchayat member or his supporters yesterday. She was going around the Ward thanking people along with her supporters at around 3 PM when they came across Deepak Tamang and his supporters who then confronted her and threatened her. In the ensuing scuffle, Geeta Sharma alleges, she was pushed to the ground, dragged some distance and her clothes were also torn.
“While taking the party flag away from her supporters, Deepak Tamang also said that we did not belong to the SDF party and were from the opposition and therefore had no right to carry the party flag,” she further alleged.
“I was not even allowed to move or to be taken to a hospital”, she stated and added that only at around 6 PM, she was allowed to be brought to the hospital.
This was not the only incident that afternoon. Shortly after, Deepak Tamang and his supporters are also accused of having assaulted 62-year-old Kharka Bahadur Tiwari, a resident of Yangthang Martam during their so called victory lap.
While Deepak Tamang and his supporters have been charged with assault and criminal intimidation, Geeta Sharma today stated that she would be consulting her lawyers in order to explore the imposition of more serious charges against the zilla panchayat elect.
However the series of incidents did not just there.
Later, at around 4:30 PM when the victory rally reached Adampool it met Melli Sonam, Kala Rai and other known Golay camp supporters. They were agitated that an Independent candidate had been assaulted and in the ensuing confrontation damaged the Zlilla Panchayat’s vehicle, a Bolero. There was also scuffle between the two sides and the drama played out late into the evening with Golay supporters also picketing the Ranipool thana.
SP East, MS Tuli rushed to the spot and along with the Ranipool police brought the situation under control.