Darjeeling peaceful after flare up over 'Indian Idol' remarks

Sep 29, 2007, 16:41 GMT

Kolkata, Sep 29 (IANS) The situation in Darjeeling district of West Bengal limped back to normal Saturday after two groups were involved in a violent clash triggered by an allegedly derogatory remark by a Delhi-based FM channel on 'Indian Idol' winner Prashant Tamang.

'Things are returning to normal now. In Darjeeling area the law and order situation is absolutely fine. We had a talk with the Prashant Tamang's fan club members and they are shortly going to call off the 12-hour shutdown,' West Bengal Inspector General (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia told IANS.

A strike in Darjeeling by the fans of Prashant Tamang was also called off.

Kanojia said the volatile situation, which had triggered street riots leading to army intervention and indefinite curfew Friday, was prevented from spreading across the district due to timely action.

'Everything is also under control in Siliguri. We are carrying out police patrolling in the violence-hit area and would also stage a peace rally,' he said.

The members of Prashant Tamang's fan club had called a 12-hour shutdown, protesting the violence in which 50 people were injured in Siliguri, about 570 km from Kolkata in north Bengal.

The violence was triggered by rumours that a rally taken out by Prashant Tamang's fan club had prevented patients from entering the Siliguri district hospital. The locals clashed with the rallyists, forcing police to intervene with batons and tear gas. The army and Border Security Force were called to maintain law and order and prohibitory orders clamped in the area.

Over 5,000 Nepalese living in Siliguri had taken out a rally to protest the alleged derogatory remarks on Tamang by a radio jockey of a Delhi-based FM channel.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service