GREATER COOCHBEHAR

Greater Cooch Behar : ASP murder case hearing and roadblock

 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 9: Fifty-six inmates including Mr Bangshi Badan Barman associated with 'Greater Cooch Behar' movement observed the death anniversary of Roysaheb Thakur Panchanan Barma inside Cooch Behar District Correctional Home (CDCH) today. They garlanded the image of the great social reformer of this region and offered floral tribute to him.

 

Hearing of a case related to the murder of an ASP against the fifty-six undertrials was also held in the court of District and Sessions Judge Mr KYS Manhas inside the CDCH today. Only one witness appeared today. The lawyer of the accused, Mr Shibendra Nath Roy said five witnesses out of twenty-nine were examined in the court till today. The hearing will continue till Friday, Mr Roy said.

 

On the otherhand, demanding formation of a separate Graeter Cooch Behar state the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) organised a two-hour roadblock programme on NH-31 at Jagnanarayaner Kuthi near Pundibari in Cooch Behar today. The GCDP activists staged the roadblock from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Traffic movement was heavily disrupted during the agitation along the National Highway.

 

President of the GCDP, Mr Ashutosh Barma said they organised today's programme to highlight their demand to get a separate state following the agreement signed between the then Maharaja of Cooch Behar and representative of Indian government before the merger of Cooch Behar State with Union of India.

 

Mr Barma also demanded introduction of national holiday on the birthday of Roysaheb Thakur Panchanan Barma, inclusion of Cooch Behar's history in the curriculum of schools, setting up of a Central university in Cooch Behar and appointment of a senior representative of Cooch Behar royal family as the president of Debottar Trust Board (DTB). Mentionworthy, DTB is the guardian body of all religious places and temples of the erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar. []