Morcha youth leader held - ‘Arrest a pressure tactic’

Kalimpong, Sept. 5: A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha youth leader was arrested from his Gumbahatta house here last night in connection with a number of arson cases and vandalism that had taken place in Kalimpong over the past two-and-a-half years.

The arrest of Topden Bhutia, who has 10 warrants against him, has come three days before the next round of tripartite talks on Darjeeling. He has been remanded in judicial custody by a local court for 14 days, police said.

Political observers here said Bhutia’s arrest before the talks could be a ploy of the state government to push the Morcha on the backfoot. “Remember, even Nicokle Tamang (the on-the-run accused in the Madan Tamang killing) was arrested a day before the last round of talks. These arrests are nothing but pressure tactics,” said an observer.

Bhutia was allegedly involved in vandalising GNLF leader Maurice Kalikotey’s house in 2008 and arson at the Motor Stand here when a mob set fire to buses and seriously injured a policeman on February 4.

Suva Pradhan, the Morcha’s Kalimpong unit secretary, however, said: “We are confident that we will be able to secure his release within a day or two.” He said the arrest would not have any negative impact on the ongoing tripartite talks on Darjeeling.

Source: The Telegraph