Sikkim: Newspaper printing press attacked by youth

Gangtok, January 28, 2014:

The printing press of Sikkim Express and Himali Bela located at Daragaon, Tadong came under an outrageous attack from an armed person at around 4 am on Tuesday morning. There were five workers inside the press printing the Sikkim Express and Himali Bela papers of Tuesday edition.

The person, identified as Phurba Sangay Sherpa (38), arrived in a jeep brandishing a SDF flag (as seen in the picture). He vandalized the ‘press’ vehicle of Sikkim Express and Himali Bela parked outside the vehicle. He then physically assaulted the workers inside the printing press and also unsheathed a long knife. Fortunately, he was disarmed by the workers. Two of the workers sustained cut injuries in the process. They managed to contain him and handed him over to the patrol team of Tadong police station.

An FIR has been lodged at the Sadar Police Station by the Sikkim Express publisher seeking strong lawful action against the person. Phurba has been arrested by Sadar Police.
Phurba hails from Sombaria bazaar in West Sikkim and is presently staying at College area, Tadong. He displayed no remorse or guilty feelings about his assault on the media.

Rather, he spewed venom on the media. He was also forceful in his introductions to the Sikkim Express journalists and Police that he was a ‘youth leader’ of the SDF party with ‘high reach’ in the ruling front and was ‘convinced’ about his immunity to any prosecution. Before his arrest, he was calling up ‘someone’ in the SDF party seeking their help in the incident. He blames Sikkim Express printing press workers of ‘ganging up and beating him up’.

The jeep and the knife has been also seized by the Police. Further details