One killed as post-poll violence continues in Tripura; CPI(M) alleges BJP hand, cops say personal enmity

Speaking to The Indian Express, Biswajit Das, son of the deceased, alleged that his father was attacked by BJP supporters when he was returning from the local market.

“They (attackers) were BJP supporters. One of them was a gram panchayat pradhan. My father was rushed to a local hospital. Later, he was shifted to GBP Hospital in Agartala, where he died today (Sunday),” Biswajit said.

He said Kamal Krishna Das, 45, a gram panchayat pradhan from Darikapur village in Khowai district, along with his accomplices, assaulted his father. Based on preliminary investigation and verbal complaints from the family, Khowai police arrested the prime accused.

In a media briefing, Khowai district superintendent of police Rati Ranjan Debnath said the incident was “outcome of personal enmity” and efforts were being made to give it a “political colour”.

“It was a brawl between two neighbouring families. We have arrested one person and the investigation is underway,” the official said.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) supporters blockaded a busy main road connecting Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital with Agartala city after police denied them permission to take the body to the party office for paying tributes.

CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhary, who rushed to the spot, told reporters that the son of the deceased desired to take his father’s body to the communist party office for paying final tributes, but police “wantonly denied permission”. He also questioned the claim of Director General of Police Amitabha Ranjan that the incident was an outcome of personal enmity. “How could he determine the nature of the crime before the investigation is over?” he sought to know.

Former Deputy Speaker of Tripura assembly and senior CPI(M) leader Pabitra Kar, who joined the road blockade, criticised the police. He alleged tacit support from the police to the post-poll violence across the state. He said several CPI(M) and Congress party supporters and party offices across the state, including parts of Sepahijala, West Tripura, Khowai, Unakoti districts, were attacked.

Congress candidate at Mohanpur constituency Prashanta Sem Chaudhury participated in the CPI(M) protest near GBP Hospital.

TIPRA Motha candidate Md. Shah Alam Miah’s car was allegedly attacked at Joypur, a village on the outskirts of Agartala on Saturday evening. While Shah Alam Miah is unhurt, his driver sustained injuries on his neck and throat and his car was badly damaged with miscreants attacking the vehicle with bricks and sharp weapons. A FIR was lodged at West Agartala Police Station and a delegation of TIPRA Motha staged a protest in front of the police headquarters in the capital city.

Large number of security personnel were deployed soon after the incident at Joypur, a village bordering Bangladesh.

The BJP said elections were held peacefully but CPIM and Congress are trying to spread violence in the state. “Left parties and Congress, sensing their impending defeat in the polls, are trying to instigate violence across Tripura. We are keeping a close watch. The BJP is ready to face post-poll violence,” BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee told the media.

The BJP leader said Communists ruled Tripura for 25 years by indulging in violence and now “Congress-supported goons” have joined them. He said it would be a futile exercise as the BJP is “confident” of returning to power with “absolute majority”. Bhattacharya also dared the opposition political parties and said they would not even find both agents for March 2, when counting will be held.