Tripura: Political clashes leave 24 injured, say reports

According to a report, as many as eight CPI-M, 10 BJP and six TIPRA Motha supporters have been injured and are now undergoing treatment in three hospitals of the state.

While 10 BJP supporters including Mandal president of Rajnagar, South Tripura Ranjit Sarkar were shifted to Belonia district hospital, eight CPI-M supporters including MLA of Rajanagar Sudhan Das are treated in Agartala Govt Medical College and five TIPRA members were admitted to Pencharthal hospital of North Tripura.

Leader of the opposition and CPI-M politburo member Manik Sarkar lashed out at Biplab Kumar Deb led BJP-IPFT government in Tripura over continuous violence over last three and half years and attack on the opposition supporters by the ruling dispensation and alleged, “Jungle raj established in Tripura under BJP where police is exist just to protect the ruling party criminals.”

Sarkar observed that undemocratic and fascist-like situation prevailing in Tripura under Biplab Kumar Deb and said, “We have been assured by the Governor that violence and attacks would be stopped but after his assurance the incidents got further momentum. We met several times with the Chief Minister but yielded no result. Now, we will knock on the doors of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of India Ramnath Kovind.”

He underlined that as many as nine incidents of mob lynching and five custodial deaths were reported in Tripura in last two years. More than 200 incidents of physical attacks on the opposition were reported while 152 attacks on shops and houses belonging to the opposition parties have been carried out by ruling party cadres during this period.

As many as five opposition MLAs, senior most minister of Biplab Deb’s cabinet, leader of the opposition and 28 journalists were attacked during BJP-IPFT rule in the state. Unfortunately, no visible action or strong words of condemnation from the chief minister was heard yet, which directly encouraged the criminals to continue the attacks and now victims have started retaliating, Sarkar said and added, “I don’t find any government existing in Tripura now.”

Police said CPI-M MLA Sudhan Das, his wife and brother were injured seriously in the attack of BJP workers yesterday at Rajnagar of South Tripura when he was addressing a gathering against price hike of petrol and diesel . A TSR jawan and three other CPI-M supporters have also been injured in the incident.

Allegedly, the ruling party cadres prevented them from going to hospital at Rajnagar and Belonia. Finally, after one-hour they were able to reach Gomati district hospital at Udaipur and then were referred to Agartala.

The CPI-M workers resorted to counter attack on BJP supporters who were reportedly involved in attacking MLA Das and others and left 10 people including Mandal president injured. They were taken to Belonia hospital where three people have been stated to be critical. To take revenge, allegedly BJP workers carried out an attack on five houses of the locality at night.

Similar attacks on CPI-M supporters in Surma constituency of Kamalpur of Dhalai district was also reported. However, nobody has been arrested yet in any of the incidents.

Meanwhile, in a clash between TIPRA Motha and BJP supporters left at least six persons including a policeman injured in Pencharthal of Unokoti district in North Tripura yesterday. Motha lodged a complaint against 12 BJP supporters and warned to paralyze the life if the accused are not arrested within 24 hours.