Indian Idol protests: Army called out in

Avijit Sarkar, Monideepa Banerjie

Friday, September 28, 2007 (Siliguri)

The hills are not alive with the sound of music anymore, in fact they have struck the wrong note.

Trouble began around noon when Prashant Tamang's fans were marching to the district magistrate's office in Siliguri.

They wanted to submit a memorandum demanding action against an FM channel's radio jockey for unsavoury remarks about Tamang and gorkhas in general.

An ambulance got stuck in the traffic jam and when the police tried to make way for it, the fans began pelting the police. Within minutes the situation spiraled out of control.

The police first lathicharged the mob, then teargassed them and finally fired in the air to disperse the crowd. When that failed to bring the situation under control and as reports came in of tension mounting in the hills of Darjeeling as well, the administration took rapid action and called in the army.

Prashant Tamang , who is in Kathmandu, has appealed to his fans to stay calm

At least 11 persons have been admitted to hospital with injuries and the condition of one of them is critical. Thirty public vehicles and 8 police vehicles were damaged in the stone throwing and some of them were set on fire.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has filed a case against the offending radio channel.

''We are taking legal steps against the radio station. I have told the police here and also the Home Ministry to take legal steps,'' said Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Chief Minister, West Bengal.

A police team is being dispatched to Delhi in order to interrogate the FM channel's authorities.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN2007 0027606&ch=9/28/2007%208:59:00%20PM

Thanks Kashish