Pramod Giri
I am working with Hindustan Times since 2001 and am posted in Siliguri, West Bengal, as Principal Correspondent. I have been regularly covering vast area of northern parts of West Bengal, Sikkim and parts of Nepal and Bhutan.
Articles by Pramod Giri
Mamata Banerjee sets aside 3 Darjeeling seats but GJM factions remain divided
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON MAR 06, 2021 12:36 AM IST
- The GJM factions, led by Bimal Gurung and Binoy Tamang, are allies of the TMC but both groups said they would contest each other even if that leads to a triangular contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the fray.
GJM leader close to Bimal Gurung arrested under POCSO in Sikkim
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON MAR 04, 2021 12:38 AM IST
- Lama was being considered as the GJM candidate for the Kalimpong assembly seat in the coming polls later this month.
India, Bangladesh to start bi-weekly passenger train from March 26
By Pramod Giri
UPDATED ON FEB 25, 2021 10:25 AM IST
The non-stop passenger train with ten bogeys, running between New Jalpaiguri and Dhaka, will cover a distance of 513 km. This will also be the third passenger train between the two countries
Bengal withdraws criminal cases against TMC’s ally, Gorkha leader Bimal Gurung
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON FEB 21, 2021 07:54 PM IST
- The process of withdrawal of the cases against him, his supporters and GJM general secretary Roshan Giri has started, said lawyers in Darjeeling.
Army rescues tourists stuck in Sikkim’s Nathu-La after snowstorm
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON FEB 19, 2021 10:20 AM IST
In a statement, the army on Friday said the tourists were stranded in 155 vehicles because of the snowstorm over a 15 kilometers stretch. “...[the vehicles] started skidding after the snowstorm,” the statement said
Sikkim: Primary schools reopen as new academic session starts today
By Pramod Giri
UPDATED ON FEB 15, 2021 02:15 PM IST
In Sikkim, classes from 9 to 12 had resumed from October 19 last year while classes from 6 to 8 had restarted from November 27
Financial packages for tea garden workers brew a poll issue in Darjeeling
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON FEB 07, 2021 11:07 AM IST
- The Congress and the CPI (M) have described the Centre and the TMC government's financial packages for tea garden workers as indirect bribe for voters before the assembly polls.
5 people missing in Darjeeling hills after car plunges into Teesta
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON FEB 02, 2021 03:49 PM IST
Search and rescue operations were launched on Monday, but till reports last came in, police and rescue teams were yet to trace the missing people and the car.
Darjeeling’s GJM, an ally of TMC, wants national body for Gorkhas
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON FEB 01, 2021 09:56 PM IST
- The GJM said the All India Gorkha Assembly should be a pan-India statutory development body and all elected people’s representatives from the community should be its members.
Teesta Barrage: Former land owners demand jobs, start agitation in north Bengal
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON JAN 29, 2021 01:08 PM IST
The protesters, under the banner of Jalpaiguri Land Losers Association (JLLA), started an indefinite sit-in demonstration in front of the chief engineer’s office of the Teesta Barrage project
Sikkim goes back to non-partisan polls after more than a decade
By Pramod Giri, Siliguri
UPDATED ON JAN 25, 2021 04:26 PM IST
- “The latest amendments would usher in true democracy in grassroots governance,” said chief minister Prem Singh Tamang.
Sikkim to become more accessible to foreign tourists as Ramman checkpost reopens
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON JAN 22, 2021 09:50 AM IST
Foreign tourists have had to travel longer distances to get inner-line permits as such permits were issued only at two checkpoints, Melli and Rangpo
Citizenship row hits GTA chairman Anit Thapa after Nepalese portal’s claim
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON JAN 22, 2021 12:14 AM IST
- Anit Thapa refuted the portal's claim and claimed it was a conspiracy.
Controversy after TMC MLA’s name crops up in list of Covid vaccine recipients
By Pramod Giri, Siliguri
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 01:26 PM IST
The TMC leadership downplayed the incident, saying that it was an error that was being blown out of proportion.
BJP gets a boost in Darjeeling with a clutch of GJM leaders joining it
By Pramod Giri
PUBLISHED ON JAN 12, 2021 10:09 PM IST
- The BJP was finding it difficult to set up a new base in the north Bengal hills because of the lack of local leaders.
TMC supporter killed in north Bengal; party blames BJP
By Pramod Giri | Edited by Abhinav Sahay | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON JAN 08, 2021 06:12 PM IST
Police have arrested Kamaleshwar Roy, a local resident, on the basis of a complaint lodged by Mandal’s family.
Suspended TMC leader held after raping minor for 3 days in Darjeeling
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON JAN 06, 2021 12:05 AM IST
The alleged crime took place about two weeks ago but the victim’s mother lodged a complaint at Kharibari police station on Sunday night.
Bengal: 2 die in stampede at musical programme in Kalimpong
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON JAN 04, 2021 11:20 AM IST
A musical programme with singers from Kathmandu in Nepal and the adjacent Darjeeling district had been organised at a mela ground
Senior TMC legislator allegedly blackmailed with morphed pornographic video clip
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Kolkata
UPDATED ON JAN 02, 2021 11:22 PM IST
The caller demanded a hefty sum and threatened to make the video viral if Guha refused to cough up the amount.
Darjeeling Toy Train services to resume from December 25
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
PUBLISHED ON DEC 24, 2020 09:30 AM IST
Passengers will be required to strictly follow the Covid-19 related guidelines and wear masks, maintain social distancing, and use hand sanitizer
Leopard ‘Sachin’ dies of heart attack at safari park in Bengal
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON DEC 21, 2020 09:01 AM IST
The park is now left with four leopards: Sourav, Kajal, Shital and Nayan.
BJP, GNLF join hands for Bengal polls
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri, Siliguri
UPDATED ON DEC 18, 2020 01:28 AM IST
The BJP, which has won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat since 2009, was looking for a new ally after Bimal Gurung of the Gorkha Janmukti Morhca (GJM) switched his allegiance to chief minister Mamata Banerjee in October.
Gorkha faction issues veiled threat to TMC, caution against Bimal Gurung
By Pramod Giri | Edited by Abhinav Sahay | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON DEC 14, 2020 08:25 AM IST
The BImal Gurung faction of the GJM has helped the BJP win the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat thrice in a row. But he has now vowed to ensure TMC’s victory in the coming assembly polls.
BJP supporter found hanging in Bengal, party charges TMC with murder
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
PUBLISHED ON DEC 10, 2020 12:15 AM IST
Swapan Das, a goldsmith, went missing on Tuesday morning but his family did not report the matter to the police.
BJP worker shot in Siliguri rally would’ve lived had he listened to wife
By Pramod Giri | Edited by Sparshita Saxena | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON DEC 08, 2020 07:24 PM IST
Roy’s wife, Malati, wanted him to take their daughter to a local school in Jalpaiguri for admission. He went to the rally instead.
Failed to keep word: Bimal Gurung targets BJP
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
PUBLISHED ON DEC 07, 2020 04:58 AM IST
“The Gorkhas will never forgive Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had once said that the dream of the Gorkhas was his dream,” Gurung said at a rally in Siliguri in Darjeeling district and asked his followers to defeat the BJP in the coming polls.
Bimal Gurung’s faction GJM targets ex-ally BJP in first hill rally in Bengal
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON NOV 29, 2020 11:18 PM IST
Gurung surfaced in Kolkata on October 21 and offered an olive branch to Mamata Banerjee. He plans to address a rally in Siliguri on December 6.
Bimal Gurung to address supporters in Siliguri but Darjeeling visit uncertain
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan times, Siliguri
PUBLISHED ON NOV 26, 2020 01:08 PM IST
Bimal Gurung who had allied with the BJP previously has junked the saffron party saying it was not sincere in fulfilling its promises to find a permanent political solution to the Gorkha issue.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway awaits state government’s nod to resume services
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
UPDATED ON NOV 26, 2020 10:25 AM IST
The Toy Train is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction in Darjeeling, a popular hill destination in north Bengal and often referred to as the Queen of Hills
Two men from Kerala arrested with 3 kg gold in north Bengal
By Pramod Giri | Hindustan Times, Siliguri
PUBLISHED ON NOV 18, 2020 10:33 PM IST
The seizure comes a week after 130 gold bars weighing 21.57 kg were seized from three men near the Bengal-Bihar border.