Tripura strike: Shops set ablaze, govt officers injured as protest turns violent in Dhalai district

The incidents of vandalism and arson have evoked a sharp response from Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, who has directed his administration to take swift and strict action against those responsible. “We strongly condemn the violent attack by Tipra Motha supporters on Shri Abhijit Majumdar (BDO, Salema), engineer Shri Animesh Saha, and residents of Shantirbazar, Dhalai District. Such acts of violence are unacceptable,” Saha wrote on social media on Thursday.

The 24-hour strike was called by Tiprasa Civil Society – a tribal civil society organisation led by ruling alliance partner TIPRA Motha MLA and rebel-turned-politician Ranjit Debbarma on Thursday, demanding the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord and strong measures to detect illegal migrants.

How the altercation escalated to a clash

An altercation broke out in the Shantirbazar area in Kamalpur sub-division after picketers purportedly forced shopkeepers in the local market to down the shutters of their outlets. Resistance from the shopowners led to clashes, and some miscreants set several shops on fire and looted them.

Several shopowners and some administrative and police personnel who tried to disperse the protesters were injured in the clash. A vehicle parked inside the market was set on fire, and after fire service personnel tried to douse the fire, their vehicle was vandalised as well.

Biplab Deb, a local businessman, was left with a severe eye injury. BDO Majumder and Deb were immediately shifted to the local hospital for treatment.

Prohibitory orders imposed

Additional forces were deployed in the area, and Dhalai District Magistrate Vivek H B imposed restrictions on public movement as per Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent obstruction, annoyance, and injury to persons lawfully employed, or danger to human life, health, or safety.

“There has been information of scattered incidents of clashes in the wake of the bandh called today, i.e, 23rd October, 2025, by some political parties & other organizations….It is considered necessary to impose restrictions on the movement of people with the Kamalpur sub-division, Dhalai district, Tripura…,” read an order issued by the district magistrate. The restrictions would be in effect till further notice.

The order stated that the prohibitory orders would be on assembly and movement of more than four persons, use of weapons and dangerous materials, provocative speeches, sloganeering or distribution of pamphlets inciting hatred, use of rooftops or any premises for pelting stones during the riots, entry and movement of vehicles in the prohibited areas while the restrictions are in force.

‘A premeditated conspiracy’: Rajib Bhattacharjee

Tripura BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee on Friday took strong note of the Shantirbazar violence, terming it a “premeditated conspiracy” to disrupt public peace and malign the government’s image.

Questioning the motive behind the violence, the MP alleged that the violence was a part of a larger conspiracy to create unrest in the state.

He said the BJP-led state government would take strict action as per law against all those involved in the violence.

Protesters started picketing throughout the state, with the majority centered in the Dhalai district, where tension flared up later in the evening. The police said picketers were seen at 36 locations, with 10 in Dhalai district, seven in West Tripura and Gomati districts each, three each at Sepahijala and Khowai districts, and one in Unakoti district. Picketers were seen staging protests at different parts of the state, including Agartala, Lembucherra, Khumulwng, etc.

Tripura ADC member Runiel Debbarma was seen staging a protest at Lembucherra, where protesters had blocked the busy National Highway 108 (B), connecting Agartala in West Tripura and the Khowai district by burning tyres and setting up blockades in the middle of the road.

The strike call saw a mixed response in the cities, while there was relatively less vehicle movement and shop activities in the villages, especially in the TTAADC areas.

Clashes on eve of strike day

Relations between the BJP and Motha have soured a day before the strike, with at least six vehicles getting damaged and several BJP activists getting injured in a clash near Khumulwng, headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in Sepahijala district.  On the incident, CM Saha said on Thursday that his government wants to get rid of the culture of showing fear to political leaders. Tripura BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said that a complaint is being filed at a local police station on the incident.

Earlier, BJP tribal leader Mangal Debbarma was injured in a clash with the TIPRA Motha party at Hezamara area of West Tripura district on September 21.

BJP-Tipra Motha alliance turns bitter

The BJP and Tipra Motha, partners since the 2023 Assembly elections, appear to have hit a rough patch.

In August, BJP supporters were attacked in Asharambari of Khowai district.  Days later, a BJP worker was assaulted in Sepahijala district, prompting Chief Minister Manik Saha to publicly blame the Tipra Motha for the “violent and undemocratic attack”.

Tipra Motha, floated in 2021 by former royal Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma upholding the demand for a ‘Greater Tipraland’, swept the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) polls and two years later, became the second largest party in the state Assembly.

Despite campaigning against the BJP, it joined the ruling alliance after a tripartite agreement was signed with the Centre and state government, promising an “amicable solution” to socio-economic, cultural, and land issues of tribal people.

However, in July, Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma had said his party was “almost ready to withdraw support from the government.

Though the statement was withdrawn within hours after Pradyot intervened, he acknowledged “genuine frustration” among tribals.

Both parties also accused each other of poaching workers. The BJP claims several Tipra Motha cadres have joined its ranks since March, while the latter has gained panchayat and mandal-level leaders from the BJP in West Tripura.

TIPRA Motha MLA and senior party leader Ranjit Debbarma, who is a rebel-turned-politician, had initially announced the strike on October 13, 24 hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state, and said the agitation would be held on behalf of an apolitical civil society demanding the implementation of tripartite Tiprasa Accord signed between the Centre, the state government and the Tipra Motha party last year. The agitation was later rescheduled to October 23.

CM Saha, Opposition condemn violence

Condemning Thursday’s violence in Dhalai district, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, who is also in charge of the Home Department, said, “I was monitoring the situation the whole night yesterday (Thursday) and have ordered whatever is required to be done… What kind of movement is this? All that I can say is that the law will work in its own way, and they (the perpetrators) will be punished.”

The CM added that neither indigenous people nor non-indigenous people would accept the violence that happened during the 24-hour statewide strike called by the Tiprasa Civil Society.

When asked if Tipra Motha leaders, who were seen picketing during the strike, were trying to use pressure tactics on the state government, CM Saha replied, “Their pressure will be diminished in due course of time.”

Meanwhile, Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman said, “Considering the way they (the injured) have been assaulted, it is clear that the law and order situation has utterly deteriorated. A section of people in the state wants to bring back the dark days of the 1980s to serve their political interests. I shall request the administration to file a complaint against those who called the strike, those responsible for the incident and give exemplary punishment to them. This unruly situation should end.”

Roy Barman also alleged that the bandh was a result of the BJP’s internal feud.

Hinting at a ‘cold war’ between the incumbent and former BJP chief ministers, he said, “I feel behind this (there is an) internal party feud to malign the present (CM)… Because I saw picketing was lifted in Agartala at 3 pm after the (ex-CM’s) request.”

He also urged CM Saha to compensate those who incurred losses in the violence.

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