Army men patrol Darjeeling town. An additional column of the Army has been deployed at Kalimpong. PTI

Kolkata, July 10

An additional column of the Army was today deployed in the troubled Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal, taking the number of Army columns in the hills to three.While one Army column each was deployed on Saturday at Darjeeling and Sonada, troops were today deployed at Kalimpong to prevent arson by agitators.Protesters want Gorkhaland, a separate state to be carved out of West Bengal consisting of areas falling in the erstwhile Darjeeling district (split into Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts in February this year). Responding to a call by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading the movement, indefinite bandh is being observed in the hills since June 12 to press for the demand.The GJM-led coordination committee of hill-based political parties was supposed to meet on July 18 to take a fresh call on the continuance of the agitation. However, for reasons best known to the GJM leadership, the meeting of the coordination committee will  be held tomorrow.This has triggered speculation that the GJM may withdraw the indefinite strike and hold talks. At least five civilians have lost their lives till now in the agitation, the government property worth several crore has been destroyed by protesters who have been setting fire to government establishments. — TNS