South District police arrest 11 Golay supporters in connection with Phalidara incident

GANGTOK, 07 Nov: With the panchayat elections out of the way now, the South district police acted upon the complaint filed by Dinesh Pradhan against Golay supporters and arrested 11 persons on 06 November. They were released on bail today.
Namchi police arrested 11 out of 13 accused in the act of vandalism targeting the house and parked vehicles of ex-panchayat, Dinesh Pradhan at Phalidara on the evening of 31 October soon after PS Golay had addressed a gathering at Namthang. In the vandalism, which included stone pelting, the children of Dinesh Pradhan had also reportedly suffered minor injuries.
The Namhang meeting itself was held amid high tension and fears of a flare-up with the shops in the area downing their shutters.
However the meeting passed of peacefully. It was only later when the motorcades were returning that a flare-up occurred at Phalidara, near Maniram Bhanjhyang. Dinesh Pradhan had named 13 Golay supporters in his FIR.
The arrested are namely, Khogen Rai [40] of Jorethang; Bandan Tamang [32] of Jorethang; Dhaman Rai [33] of Jorethang; Tashi Dorjee Tamang [41] of Sallabuy; Chitra Chettri [33] of Chisopani; Wangchuk Bhutia [45] of Namchi; Bishal Rai [31] of Denchung; Sitaman Rai [42] of Rong; Phurten Lepcha [41] of Denchung; Phemba Sharma [35] of Nandigoan and Prayash Chettri [27] of Chisopani. They were released on bail on the order of the district courts, South and West.  
Meanwhile, the Golay supporters released on bail, while speaking to NOW! claimed that the entire incident was pre planned by the SDF party. They alleged that some named by Dinesh Pradhan to be involved in the incident were not even present at the time and further condemned the allegations leveled against them.