Ham operators pick up suspicious cross border conversation in Darjeeling

Darjeeling : It has come to the fore that the links of the agitation, being held in Darjeeling since past few days for the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland, have reached across the border. It has been detected that the agitators here are communicating with their coordinators across the border, with the help of ‘Ham Radios’. With the ‘Ham Radio’ operators, who assist the security forces in the border area, having intercepted suspicious and coded signals of the ‘Gorkha Janamukti Morcha’ (GJM) leaders, It has been revealed that the ‘GJM’ agitators are in touch with their contacts in other countries.

The demand for a separate Gorkhaland state has again resurfaced from this agitation in Darjeeling, which started to oppose the decision to make Bengali language compulsory in the school curriculum in West Bengal. Even as the agitation for this demand in ongoing, GJM has given a call for an indefinite shutdown. The indefinite shutdown, which entered the 12th day, has not only disrupted the day to day life in Darjeeling, the tourism sector here also has suffered huge losses.

Meanwhile, when the agitation launched for the demand for an independent state took a violent turn, action was taken against the leaders of the GJM. Some leaders were even taken into custody. While efforts are being made by the security forces to bring Darjeeling back to normalcy, the intelligence bureau and the security forces unearthed the information that the activists of GJM were making use of ‘ham radio’ for cross-border communication. Earlier, in the operation carried out on 15th June, two radio sets were recovered from the premises of a GJM leader.

After this, the police took help from the Ham radio operators to track the conversation of the GJM leaders. Ultimately, the operators caught suspicious signals from across the border. After decoding the signals, it was discovered that the signals and messages were in Nepali and Tibetan languages. In this communication, it was revealed that some kind of consignment was to reach Darjeeling. However, for security reasons, all the information could not be disclosed, the officials said. The Ham operators are keeping 24-hour vigil on the radio signals in this area and have also developed a separate team to decode the messages.

When the agitation, started for the demand of a separate state, took violent turn, the Internet services here were discontinued as a precautionary measure. The phones of the suspects are also being tracked. It is said that the use of Radio Communications was started after this in this area. Many leaders of GJM have gone into hiding due to the current situation.

Earlier, GJM had organised training sessions for the use of Ham Radio for its workers, who were scattered in the Valleys; and a small radio station had also been set up.

In the meantime, GJM chief Bimal Gurung on Saturday published a video, in which he threatened to intensify the agitation; even while expressing willingness for discussions. But Bimal has stated that these discussions will be limited to the separate Gorkhaland state only; and that there cannot be any other option to this. Besides, Bimal has also issued a ‘now-or-never’ message in the video, ’’Remember, one day everybody has to die. Either my body will go home or I will return with Gorkhaland.’’ Concerns are being expressed that this video clipping may intensify the agitation for independent Gorkhaland, making it violent.