The sudden spurt in violence unleashed by supporters of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) on Tuesday has caused damage to government property in administrative and tourist offices, forest camps and range offices, besides police outposts that were torched by the agitators. They set afire two State buses, government pool cars, and a district judge's car.
Home Secretary G.D. Gautama told journalists at the Secretariat that in addition to the offices of the block development officers in Gorubathan, Bijanbari and Kalimpong, the offices of fire stations, forest camp offices, tourism offices and police outposts in Singla and Pedong were damaged in the arson.
Two buses of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation and other government vehicles were torched.
Tourism Minister Manab Mukherjee said the government would provide all assistance to tourists wishing to leave the troubled areas. He said that 35 tourists who were descending from the adjoining hill-State of Sikkim were rescued after their driver fled midway. Assistance was also provided to five foreign tourists to come down to Siliguri town.
