Stone thrown on CM`s motorcade, lathi charge in new party HQ

Supporters of newly formed SKM threw stones at Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling`s motorcade leading to a police lathi charge at the party headquarter.

Gangtok: Supporters of newly formed Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) threw stones at Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling`s motorcade leading to a police lathi charge at the party headquarter and arrest of nine office bearers of the party, including its working president.

Bottles and stones were hurled at Chamling`s convoy when it was passing the SKM head office at Daragaon area here, the police said. The policemen later began lathi charge in the SKM head office and several SKM workers and police personnel were injured in the fracas, the sources said. SKM working president Bharati Sharma admitted that party workers were involved in the incident and legal action could be taken against those identified by the police. She, however, alleged that IGP (Law & Order) Akshay Sachdeva began the lathi charge `without provocation`. While six persons were arrested soon after the incident, Sharma and two others were arrested later. Alleging that she was manhandled by the IGP and no women police were present, woman leader Kala Rai said, she would move the Women`s Commission, Human Rights Commission and Union Home Ministry against the IGP. The party also demanded a judicial inquiry into the lathi charge, a rare occurrence in Sikkim, and immediate suspension of the IGP. DIG Dr MS Tuli said SKM workers broke the barricade set up for the CM`s cavalcade to pass, "attacked the CM`s cavalcade who enjoys Z category security. The police resorted to mild lathi charge as they also attacked the police." Condemning yesterday`s stone pelting on Chamling`s motorcade by `rowdies` of the SKM, the SDF said in a statement "We see the clear signal of political violence in the offing". The SKM was formed on February 4 by dissident SDF leaders. PTI