The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Sunday said the National Highway 31A, which passes through Darjeeling Hills district, has been exempted for the Sikkim traffic from the indefinite shutdown in the hills as a convoy of 94 vehicles left Rangpo for Siliguri during the day. Claiming the GJM never extended the bandh to the highway, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said the NH 31A was open for Sikkim traffic and out of the purview of the Darjeeling bandh underway in the neighbouring state.

To reports that vehicles coming in from Darjeeling district to Sikkim on February 8 were pasted with posters that the bandh had been extended to Sikkim traffic and GJM picketers at Rangpo turning back all vehicles except SNT buses and trucks on February 9, Giri claimed its cadre had not indulged in any act of arson on the highway.  PTI