Five Golay supporters arrested in connection with Phalidara vandalism

NAMCHI, 01 Nov: Five supporters of the dissident SDF MLA, PS Tamang [Golay] were arrested today by Namchi Police on charges of vandalising the house and parked vehicles of former Panchayat, Dinesh Pradhan at Lower Phalidara, South Sikkim.
On an FIR filed by the former Panchayat, the police had registered a case against 13 Golay supporters [named in the complaint] under sections 147/ 148/ 149/ 427/ 452/ 506 of the IPC. They are accused of being part of the group which attacked Mr Pradhan’s house at Lower Phalidara. This was late last evening, at around 6:15 PM when the group was returning from the panchayat campaign meeting at Namthang. The mob, it is alleged, threw bottles and stones which damaged the house and two parked vehicles [belonging to Ratan Pradhan and Kumar Pradhan].
While speaking to NOW!, Dinesh Pradhan said that he was at home watching TV when the vehicles carrying Golay supporters stopped in front of his house and the people started pelting stones and bottles at his house. He claimed that some members of the mob also entered his house.
“We had never been involved in such an incident and with such acts by supporters of PS Golay the entire family is feeling insecure,” said Mr Pradhan and added that his son also got injured in the incident.
Today, SDF Youth Convener and also MLA Namchi Singithang, Binod Rai, South District party President Gagan Rai, Chairman Girish Chandra Rai and other party workers and supporters visited Mr Pradhan’s house where they alleged that it was a pre-planned attack. They further alleged that Golay supporters are spreading terror in the state, while the SDF government has always advocated and maintained peace and security.
Out of thirteen accused, the five who were arrested today are Milan Rai, Samuel Lepcha, N.D.Tamang, Indra Lall Sharma and Sonam Lepcha. They were subsequently released on bail by the District Court Namchi.

Day begins tense at Namthang, ends with ‘incident’ at Phalidara

NAMCHI, 31 Oct: The day began tense and confrontational at Namthang here in South Sikkim today, and although the final panchayat campaign meeting of the “Golay camp” passed without incident at this South district town [which was witness to a violent clash on 14 Oct], the evening, as the motorcades returned, delivered one incident of violence at Phalidara, near Maniram Bhanjhyang, allegedly by a group of Golay supporters returning from Namthang to Namchi.
As per an FIR filed by ex Panchayat, Dinesh Pradhan, his house and vehicle were vandalised by a group of Golay supporters late this evening. He has named 13 supporters of SDF MLA, PS Tamang, as being involved in the attack.
Speaking to NOW! over the phone, Mr. Pradhan informed that his children, who were at home at the time, suffered minor injuries when his house was allegedly stoned by Golay supporters returning from the Namthang meeting. His two vehicles, a utility pick-up and a jeep, parked outside were also vandalised, he adds.
When contacted, the SP [South] Manoj Tiwari confirmed that the FIR has been received and a case registered. While no arrests had been made till the time of going to print, the SP informs that team has been constituted and arrests will now follow.
Earlier, Namthang witnessed some tense moments in the morning when Golay supporters got into a heated argument with the SP and DC over the change in venue proposed by the DC today.
It is learnt that although the meeting organisers had received permission to hold their meeting at Namthang bazaar, the district officials today directed them to hold their meeting at the Namthang school ground instead. In fact, the school was given a day off for today, perhaps in anticipation of this shifting of venue.
The proposal did not go down well with the Upper Burtuk MLA, PS Tamang, and his supporters who then got into a heated discussion with the officials and refused to budge from the venue they had already received permission for and had been prepared. This stand-off continued for around an hour and a half, and eventually they were allowed to hold the meeting at the bazaar itself.
When contacted to explain the last minute direction to change the venue, the SP [South] Manoj Tewari informed that this was proposed in light of a complaint received from the UD&HD. The UD&HD, it is learnt, had written to the Namchi SDM suggesting that political meetings not be allowed in the bazaar area at Namthang in light of the 14 Oct incident when the construction material kept in the bazaar area for the beautification works underway there was used in the violence. The SP informs that permission to continue with the meeting was granted after two leaders of the Golay camp gave an undertaking that UD&HD stocks in the bazaar area will not be damaged.
Interestingly, all shops in Namthang bazaar also downed shutters today, just like Yangang had done the day before when the Golay camp had organised a public meeting there.
SD Tamang, secretary, Byapari Sangh, Namthang, while speaking to NOW! today explained that the shopkeepers unanimously decided to shut down their shops as a precaution and also because “it was important to condemn the violence of 14 Oct when several shops and vehicles in the main bazaar were vandalised”. He also clarified that they were not asked by the SDF or any other agency to down shutters and that this was decision taken by the shopkeepers themselves.
Today was the last day to campaign for the panchayat elections scheduled for 03 Oct, Saturday.