CPM office and BJP leaders targeted as political violence continues in Tripura

An attack on a BJP victory rally in Gomati district injured 15 people and three of them were said to be in critical condition.

Former MLA Subhash Chandra Das, who lost the poll from the Nalchar constituency, came under attack at Chandanmura. His family members were also injured in the incident.

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Even as the Tripura government clamps down on violence that erupted after poll results were announced on March 2, a CPM office was set ablaze at Sonamura in Sepahijala and BJP leaders were attacked at Nalchar in the same district and at Belonia in South Tripura on Saturday evening.

Among the major incidents of violence, BJP panna pramukh Kanti Lal Dey’s home at Joynagar in South Tripura’s Belonia town was torched. The flames spread to his kitchen and an adjoining shop before fire fighters could bring the situation under control. Local BJP leader Pran Krishna Dey blamed CPM and Congress supporters for the attack.

Former MLA Subhash Chandra Das, who lost the poll from the Nalchar constituency, came under attack at Chandanmura. His family members were also injured in the incident.

An attack on a BJP victory rally at Ampinagar in Gomati district left 15 injured, out of which four were rushed to the Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital in Agartala. Three among them were learnt to be in critical condition. BJP state chief Rajib Bhattacharjee condemned the “cowardly and barbaric” violence while visiting Ampinagar on Sunday. Party spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said a police complaint had been registered.

Meanwhile, a CPM office was set on fire at Sonamura allegedly by BJP supporters who joined a victory rally. Local MLA and senior CPM leader Shyamal Chakraborty alleged petrol bombs were hurled at the party office and that its door and windows were broken.

Senior police officers have said the situation is being tightly monitored across the state and that over a 1,000 persons have been detained on preventive grounds since March 2. Over 150 incidents of violence have been reported till now in the state.