Bagdogra, 16th August: Bagdogra Zone Congress observed 16th August as Martyr’s day. On this day in 1980, 16 people died in the East Bengal-Mohun Bagan Derby Match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Martyrs Day is celebrated every year by the National Congress to remember the day.
Tributes and respects were paid to the martyrs at the Bagdogra Congress Office by garlanding the martyr’s altar and placing football. In this regard, Naxalbari Block Congress President Amitabh Sarkar said that this day is being observed to pay tribute to the 16 fans who lost their lives due to mayhem in the stands. Apart from this, he snidely took a jibe at TMC stating that the state government is busy saving their leaders from going to jail.