Much to the chagrin of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) Government, Gurung’s recorded message of October 17, available on audiotape, has attracted considerable public interest. In the message the GJM leader challenges the veracity of the State Government version of the so-called armed raid against trained GJM militants carried out by the Bengal police on October 13.

According to a cryptic official account reported in the Kolkata-based media, an exchange of shots between a state police team and armed Gorkhas at Lepchabasti, near Patlebas in Darjeeling town late at night on Oct 13 ended in the death of young police SI Amitava Malik. Another policeman was injured along with one Gorkha militant, who escaped with his comrades. Later, 7 AK 47 rifles, scores of bullets and grenades were found at the site, as the Gorkhas reportedly fled in the dark. The police could not arrest anyone. The area is a known stronghold of the pro-Gurung GJM faction.

The police first claimed that Gurung himself was addressing the militants at a secret gathering. The militants opened fire to cover his escape. The State Government, which has already issued an arrest warrant against him under provisions of the UAPA, added a fresh charge of murder against him.

Meanwhile TMC ministers and leaders aggressively denounced the GJM at rallies and processions organised in honour of the late SI, whose body was brought to Kolkata. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a couplet in his honour, while the Government promised all financial help to the victim’s family and a job for his young widow.

The Bengal Government version left too many questions unanswered. Former police chiefs and analysts wondered who led the policemen into the disastrous encounter at Lepchabasti and why were the policemen not provided bullet-proof uniforms, or even helmets while taking on ‘trained, armed Gorkha militants.

Malik had been killed by a close range shot in the head, which could accidentally have resulted from ‘friendly ‘fire by any of his colleagues in the dark. What did the forensic report say about the calibre of bullet found at the spot? How many rounds had been fired by both sides and for how long did the fight continue?

To this day, the state government is yet to answer any of these questions. State police chief Surajit Kar Purkayastha also paid a visit to Darjeeling in a bid to rev up the flagging morale. His team tried to arrest Gurung several times after receiving tip-offs. Each and every time, they failed.

The standard official message to the media on the subject of Guring and his followers from the administration over the last few weeks has been, ’Gurung is getting desperate, all his followers have deserted him and his arrest is only a question of time.’

Gurung’s message was short and sharp. The West Bengal Government was 'lying,' he alleged, falsely accusing him of holding a meeting with his cadre on the night of October 13. The Government was actively conspiring to derail the peaceful GJM movement for a separate state and now trying only to kill him. The state police had engineered acts of violence against the democratic agitation. It had organised calculated acts of sabotage and arson to discredit a community. He (Gurung) had never believed in, nor encouraged any violence in the hills as his record during the past decade would prove beyond all doubt.

His GJM colleague Roshan Giri accused the state police of planting the weaponry seized from the area beforehand, to malign the Gorkha agitation. Both leaders demanded an immediate probe into the ‘encounter’ at Lepchabasti, by the CBI or the NIA. The state has not responded although north Bengal TMC minister Gautam Deb maintains that the government need not respond to ‘criminals on the run’ or engage in any debate with them.

Opposition parties, from the BJP to the CPI(M), are not convinced by the official version of Malik’s death. Party leaders have called for a probe, while the BJP accused the state of trying to kill Gurung at all costs ‘to suppress the Gorkha agitation.’ Most opposition parties have called for an independent probe, as the credibility of the TMC-run administration was not too high.

So far so bad, but two related developments further complicated the situation for the state government. First, the administration announced a CID inquiry into the circumstances leading to Malik’s death. This prompted speculation as to whether something had gone seriously wrong with the conduct of the so-called police ‘operation’ against GJM militants. However, there was a general feeling that a CID probe would not restore Kolkata’s credibility by much, as it would be a state police affair.

The second was the unfortunate death in hospital of R Bhujel, a young Gorkha Councillor of Kalimpong civic body. He had been arrested last May in connection with the Gorkha agitation and had taken ill while in jail. As his condition worsened, there were allegations that the authorities had not arranged proper medical care for him. He was shifted to a hospital.

Gurung lost no time to accuse the state government of having killed young Bhujel after having tortured him while in custody, in an emotive appeal to the Gorkha community, issued in Gorkhali, once more through an audio tape. The news saddened the people of Kalimpong, according to reports reaching Kolkata. (IPA Service)