Semblance of normalcy returns to Singling

ACCUSED BOOKED UNDER ATTEMPT TO MURDER CHARGES, VICTIM REFERRED TO SILIGURI FOR TREATMENT
SUBASH RAI
GANGTOK, 20 March: “The situation in Singling is peaceful now,” informed DIG [Range] S. Sridhar Rao today. District Collector [West], Santa Pradhan, confirmed this, saying, “No tension prevails anymore in the area and it has developed normalcy as earlier.”
Singling block, under Soreong-Chakung constituency in West Sikkim, had made headlines over the weekend when a clash between supporters of ruling Sikkim Democratic Front and a group opposed to it had left two persons grievously injured and a Minister’s vehicle damaged on the evening of Friday, 18 March.

The DIG, while speaking to NOW! over the phone, said that the incident happened when Public Works Department [Road & Bridges] Minister, RB Subba, who is also the area MLA, was on a door-to-door visit of the area on Friday evening.
“As of now, our investigation has revealed that the confrontation began in a house. Someone informed Jiwan Rai, who then attacked one Rajen Tamang with a sharp weapon injuring him grievously,” the DIG said.
He adds, “The accused, who is also under treatment at the Central Referral Hospital in Gangtok at present, has been placed under arrest and has been booked under Section 307 of IPC for attempt to murder.”
Mr. Rao further informed that the victim, Rajen Tamang, was referred to a private nursing home at Siliguri on Saturday itself.
It is further informed that, after the incident, a mob attacked the accused and had also damaged the Minister’s vehicle.
“It is not established yet, whether accused was with the Minister or whether he acted on his own,” said Mr. Rao.
Mr. Gurung, it is informed, is the area youth convener of the SDF party.
On the attack on the Minister’s vehicle, Mr. Rao informed that a written complaint with names of the accused persons was filed by the driver of the vehicle and a case has been registered under Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage of Public Properties Act of IPC.
Meanwhile, here in Gangtok, the SDF, through a press release, condemned the attack on the Minister’s vehicle, claiming that it was a ‘premeditated’ attack, instigated by a group of ‘anti-development and anti-social’ elements, who are “adherents of violence who are given to negative thinking”.
The party also defended the Minister saying, “He was on a door-to-door visit of his constituency with the intention to achieve the 16-point time-bound, pro-people missions of the SDF Government.”
The party has demanded that the Police conduct a thorough investigation to identify the attackers and also establish whether they belong to Sikkim or hail from outside. While appealing its supporters to help maintain peace, the party has further demanded immediate legal action against those involved in the attack.
On the other hand, PS Tamang, the SDF MLA and the figure-head for disaffected group of the party, through a press release attributed to him, claimed that the incident has proven that the Minister was a ‘self-proclaimed leader’ without any real support among the people.
He further says that the incident “clearly shows” that the people of Sikkim have lost faith in the SDF party.
The former Minister of the SDF Government has also demanded that the ruling party immediately suspend Mr. Subba from both, the ministerial as well as MLA posts, in order to prove itself innocent.
Mr. Tamang has further demanded that not only Jiwan Gurung and Mr. Subba, the Police should also dig out the mastermind behind this incident.
Similarly, former SDF MLA, Bhoj Raj Rai, who is also one of the leaders of the disaffected group and since expelled from the party, claimed that SDF has become an undemocratic party.
Mr. Rai further claimed that even after 24 hours of incident, silence from the Chief Minister suggests that he endorses Mr. Subba’s actions.
The former MLA has however expressed belief in Sikkim Police and hoped that it will carry out unbiased investigation and give justice in favour of the people.