Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

Sikkim State Police band in front of the Sikkim Royal Palace at Gangtok.

The historic bell (the new mandir is in the background) I first wrote about this Rongli Shivalaya Mandir bell in 2003, but even to this date, the mere thinking of that bell fascinates me. I never had imagined that a small article would have such an impact that the old mandir was dismantled and the new mandir was set, which is still being completed. More than five years later, when I again decided to re-write an article on this bell, I just wanted to have a first look at that antique metal piece. But this time, I was awaiting more mystery about the bell's whereabouts. I still recall when the century-old Shivalaya Mandir at the heart of the Rongli bazaar was dismantled for renovation in 2004. The relics were kept in Rongli Police Station for safety. This time, my cousin's brother Praveen and I were looking for that historic bell. Still, to our surprise, the personnel at the Rongli Police Station were somewhat surprised to know that such valuable materials were a...

Lall Bahadur Pradhan of Pacheykhani in East Sikkim is credited with being the first police officer of Sikkim Police. He joined the then Sikkim Durbar service in the Police establishment as the first trained and qualified Police Officer in the rank of Sub -Inspector and headed the organisation.  An individual with the military spirit, he served the Durbar with his hard and dedicated work, efficiency, and intelligence for a short period of 8 years. The second son of Taksaari Chandrabir Pradhan, he was born in 1888.  He received his early education in Gangtok. After completing schooling at Gangtok, he joined the Scottish Universities Missionary Institute at Kalimpong, where he studied up to class IX. He was then selected by Claude White, the then-Political Officer of Sikkim, to serve in the Political Office in Gangtok. At the time of joining the office, he was only 14 years old. He served the Political Office for seven years. When the administration was transferred under the d...

GANGTOK: In compliance with the Supreme Court's directive to regulate the functioning of the police in the country, Sikkim has become the first state to enforce the Sikkim Police Act, 2008, with effect from September five, an official release said on Wednesday.   Fixed tenure of two years for the director general of police, superintendent of police and in-charges of police stations were the main features of the Sikkim Police Act, it said. The Police Accountability Commission was set up under the chairmanship of retired chief justice of the Sikkim High Court R K Patra. The commission would enquire into public complaints against police officers for serious misconduct (death in custody, rape, grievous hurt and arrest without due process of law), the release said.  The complaints against policemen should be accompanied by a sworn statement by the complainants. The commission has been empowered to perform the functions of the State Human Rights Commission listed under secti...

GANGTOK, RANGPO, May 29 : Sikkim Police has begun its crackdown on illegal use of domestic cylinders in commercial establishments. Following the recent detention of Quick Bite fast food outlet’s proprietors from Gangtok, the Police with officials from the Food Department have started conducting similar raids in all four Districts. Five more cases were registered with the Sadar Police on May 28 against proprietors of five hotels here in Gangtok. A case against the proprietor of Wangla Restaurant and Bar, Deorali has been registered following a written complaint from GB Subedi, Senior DCSO, East, Food Department. With the confiscation of two domestic cylinders from Wangla Restaurant and Bar, the proprietor Man Bir Limboo (48), resident of Selep Tanki, Gangtok was arrested from his residence. On the same day, two domestic cylinders were seized from Bishal Hotel at Deorali, three each from Hotel Regent at Pani House and Hotel Central on national highway 31A and another three fro...

GANGTOK, May 28 : Drug haul are on a high once again, indicating the unrestrained menace around the State. Following raids and recovery of a huge catch of drugs from Singtam on May 27, Sikkim Police on the same day nabbed another drug peddler at Namchi, South Sikkim. Acting upon source information, the Namchi Police on May 27 arrested one Yogesh Chettri (24), resident of Upper Boomtar, Namchi with 232 tablets of Spasmo Proxyvon. Yogesh Chettri, son of Chandra Bahadur Chettri, reportedly was also detained earlier under same charges. The accused Chettri was on his way to Namchi after attending a funeral at Darjeeling when he was arrested. An addict himself, the accused reportedly was also an inmate of the rehabilitation centre at Nimtar (32 mile, Singtam) for 4½ months earlier when he was arrested under same grounds. In Gangtok, the Sadar Police arrested two more drug addicts-Jitendra Gurung and Kalzang Dorjee Bhutia, residents of Tadong and Thatenchen respectively. The Poli...