Darjeeling, July 24 -- The brutal murder of 36-year-old Kalyan Rai near Krishi Bhawan in Gangtok late Wednesday night has triggered shock, anger, and grief across Darjeeling and Sikkim. The victim, a resident of Katwali Bazar, Lebong in Darjeeling, was allegedly stabbed to death around 11 PM. A 76-year-old retired forest officer reportedly surrendered to the police the same night, confessing to the crime.

Following a postmortem, Kalyan Rai's body was sent to his native village in Darjeeling on Thursday, where hundreds of family members, friends, and local residents gathered to pay their last respects. The murder has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society, NGOs, and both political and apolitical groups across the Darjeeling hil...