Complaints lodged against BB Rai; PS Tamang at Ranipool police station

GOLEY-SDF CONFRONTATION AT KHOLA GHARI
GANGTOK, 14 Dec: Following the tense situation which developed at Khola Gari [Assam Lingzey], where SDF supporters and supporters of dissident Upper Burtuk MLA, PS Tamang, had an eyeball to eyeball confrontation with some serious damage to vehicles on both sides, police cases have been registered at the Ranipool thana by both groups. Interestingly, both sides have filed FIRs against each other and as sources inform both PS Tamang and Beg Bahadur Rai have been named in the FIRs.

The situation last night had become so volatile that the police had to fire at least one round to control the crowd, sources inform. There was also some scrap fights between the two groups with minor injuries afflicted on a few of the supporters of both the camps. While the SDF camp have named PS Tamang, Nima Theeng, Bhoj Raj Rai among others in their FIR the Golay camp have named BB Rai and others in their FIR lodged with the Ranipool police.  The incident occurred when the Mr. Tamang’s supporters were on their way to Assam Lingzey after holding a meeting at Singtam.
Sources inform that both sides have accused each other of rioting, and the police is informed to have also charged both sides with unlawful assembly. Sources inform that there were some vehicles which had been seriously damaged on both sides; about 3 to 4 vehicles belonging to the SDF party and another 2 to 3 vehicles belonging to the Golay-camp are informed to have suffered extensive damages in the stone throwing and rioting that occurred at about 8 p.m. last evening. The police had to deploy IRBn from Pangthang to control the conflagration.
Timely action and arrival of the police ensured that the situation was brought under control. The police is reported to have ensured that there was no further altercation and “escorted” the youth away. There were no arrests or detentions. About 100 to 150 youth had assembled on both sides and a barricade had also been put up by the SDF youth to prevent the other side from passing through.   No police official was available for comment.