KOLKATA: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supremo Bimal Gurung’s close associate and former Gorkha Territorial Administration vice-chairman Lobsang Lama was arrested by Kalimpong district police from Indo-Nepal international border at Khoribari in Darjeeling district of West Bengal on Thursday.
Lama remained with Gurung faction of GJM after the split of the party into two factions each headed by former GTA chairman Bimal Gurung and present GTA Board of Administrators (BoA) chairman Binay Tamang. Lama was suspected to be physically present with Bimal Gurung, who is absconding since June last year while hiding from West Bengal police in the border tri-junction of Nepal, West Bengal and Sikkim.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Kalimpong SP Ajit Kumar Yadav said: “Lobsang Lama was arrested from Khoribari by Kalimpong police team in the wee hours of Thursday. He is charged with attacking and attempting to set Jaldhaka police station in Kalimpong district on fire and gutting two police vehicles. He was produced in the court today (Thursday) which granted us four days police remand.”
Asked whether the arrest of Bimal Gurung’s close aide will lead to the wanted GJM supremo, Yadav said: “The matter is under investigation and it is too early to reveal anything.”
Bimal Gurung, who is wanted under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, murder, riot and arson, had indicated in a recently-held close meeting with reporters in Delhi that he wants to sit in dialogue with chief minister Mamata Banerjee but refused to budge from the Gorkhaland statehood demand. The state government is yet to respond to his request for dialogue.