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Sikkim parties turn violent on poll-eve

With a spurt in pre-poll clashes in remote areas of this Himalayan state, the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front and opposition Sikkim Sangram Parishad have accused each other of recruiting armed anti-social elements from neighbouring Darjeeling and Nepal.

The SDF and SSP have lodged separate complaints with the state electoral office and the Election Commission, accusing each other of hiring armed goons from the Darjeeling hills and Nepal to disrupt the simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and assembly on October 3.

SSP leaders, including former MP Nandu Thapa and former minister Jagat Bandhu Pradhan, in a complaint to the state chief electoral officer alleged that the entourage of party president and former chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari was attacked at Mansari in Soreng constituency of West Sikkim on September 16 by ''hired, armed SDF goons.'' However, Bhandari and other senior leaders, including party's nominee for the lone Lok Sabha seat, Satish Chandra Rai, escaped unhurt due to the presence of a Sikkim police contingent. The leaders said the police arrested 14 persons alleged to have come from Darjeeling and hired by the SDF.

The ruling SDF, in its complaint to the EC, alleged that the SSP had hired armed anti-socials from Darjeeling and Nepal and had ''let loose a reign of terror in west and south districts.''

Meanwhile, director general of police L C Amarnathan, who toured West Sikkim yesterday, said the presence of a strong contingent of the Sikkim police at Malbasey prevented a clash between supporters of opposing parties, who had gathered to hold simultaneous rallies. He said at least 14 persons, including SDF and SSP supporters, were arrested. He, however, ruled out any involvement of outsiders in these clashes.

UNI

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