Roshan Lama, a leader of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) from Kalimpong, died after reportedly falling from a cliff reportedly after a fistfight on Monday.
Police sources said that Lama, 58, was travelling with his wife and daughter in his personal vehicle from Kalimpong town to his native place Mongsong, some 19km away, on Monday evening. Around 8.30pm he met with a minor accident with a two-wheeler at Burmek Deorali, midway between Kalimpong and Mongsong, which led to a verbal spat and a fistfight between Lama and a resident of 16th Mile in Kalimpong.
“During the brawl, accused Tshering Sherpa allegedly pushed Lama off the road which runs along a cliff,” a source added.
Sherpa then fled the spot. Family members of Lama rushed him to the Kalimpong district hospital where he was declared dead.
The police arrested Sherpa, who is in his late 20s.
“The accused has been arrested and sent in judicial custody by the order of the court to complete certain investigation formalities. The key witnesses will be examined after the funeral as they are unable to give a statement at present,” said Aparajita Rai, the SP of Kalimpong.
The funeral will take place on Wednesday.
GNLF president Mann Ghisingh and Darjeeling MLA Neeraj Zimba, along with senior party leaders, visited the bereaved family. “We would not like to give the incident a political colour immediately but want a fair investigation,” said Ghisingh.
GNLF supporters also plastered posters in Kalimpong asking for a fair probe.
Lama was earlier the assistant general secretary of the GNLF Kalimpong branch committee.
Edwards plan
Ajoy Edwards, the president of Hamro Party, on Tuesday said he had started preparations to file cases before Calcutta High Court on various issues related to Darjeeling.
“We have started preparations to file cases against the way teacher eligibility test was conducted (by the GTA) and on the GTA chairman’s relief fund collected from the public,” said Edwards from Calcutta.
In 2021, the GTA heldthe TET but its results have not yet been declared purportedly because of “technical issues.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic the GTA collected a relief fund to the tune of Rs 2 crore to help tea garden workers. However, with tea gardens functioning during the pandemic, the fund was not utilised for the purpose. Now, the GTA is looking at building a Shramik Bhavan in Siliguri with the money.
“The amount was collected for a particular purpose but there are now plans to use it for another purpose,” said Edwards.
Hamro Party has also demanded that the state election commission immediately conduct civic elections to Kalimpong, Mirik and Kurseong that are due for a year.
