Gill Saab
Yaar Malang
Kolkata, Oct 25 (IANS) Accusing the Darjeeling administration and police of callousness in the wake of the bridge collapse that claimed 32 lives, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Tuesday said it will demand an independent probe into the incident.
?How can the authorities allow such a huge gathering on an old bridge? Moreover I came to know that many people died because of electrocution. There is an immediate need for a probe into the matter by some higher authority. I on behalf of my party will meet the governor with our demand,? CPI-M leader Asok Bhattacharya said.
Bhattacharya said the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) or the state government cannot shirk from their responsibility.
?The organisers of the programme (GJM) and the administration, especially the police, have been callous. How can the authorities allow live electric wires to be strung all over the bridge? The wires snapped when the bridged collapsed which resulted in many people getting electrocuted.
?The matter needs to be looked into by experts. The governor (M.K. Narayanan) is coming on a visit to North Bengal and we will meet and submit our demands to him,? said Bhattacharya.
The crowded British-era wooden suspension bridge on Little Rangeet river in Bijonbari -- headquarters of the Darjeeling Pulbazar development block -- gave way Oct 22 evening as over 200 people stood on it to listen to speeches of GJM leaders like Bimal Gurung in the area. The incident, which took place 30 km from Darjeeling town, claimed 32 lives and left over 100 injured.
?How can the authorities allow such a huge gathering on an old bridge? Moreover I came to know that many people died because of electrocution. There is an immediate need for a probe into the matter by some higher authority. I on behalf of my party will meet the governor with our demand,? CPI-M leader Asok Bhattacharya said.
Bhattacharya said the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) or the state government cannot shirk from their responsibility.
?The organisers of the programme (GJM) and the administration, especially the police, have been callous. How can the authorities allow live electric wires to be strung all over the bridge? The wires snapped when the bridged collapsed which resulted in many people getting electrocuted.
?The matter needs to be looked into by experts. The governor (M.K. Narayanan) is coming on a visit to North Bengal and we will meet and submit our demands to him,? said Bhattacharya.
The crowded British-era wooden suspension bridge on Little Rangeet river in Bijonbari -- headquarters of the Darjeeling Pulbazar development block -- gave way Oct 22 evening as over 200 people stood on it to listen to speeches of GJM leaders like Bimal Gurung in the area. The incident, which took place 30 km from Darjeeling town, claimed 32 lives and left over 100 injured.
