Tripura violence: Left-Congress team says ‘attacked’ by men shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’; one detained

Gutted residence of Jatindra Roy at Charipara in West Tripura

The police claimed that the team of Left and Congress leaders made an “unscheduled visit” to Nehalchandranagar during which “some sloganeering” occurred. Assistant Inspector General of Police Jyotishman Das Chowdhury denied the allegation that the police officials accompanying the team did not act and said, “The accompanying police escort team responded quickly and rescued the delegation safely. Senior officers are at the spot. No injury to any person has been reported locally. Damage to 2-3 vehicles has been reported. One suspect has been detained. Raids are on to identify and arrest other miscreants.”

The group of Left Front and Congress MPs from Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu arrived in the state to assess the extent of violence alleged to have occurred since election results were announced on March 2. The MPs, divided into three teams, visited different parts of the districts of Sepahijala, Gomati, West Tripura, Khowai, and Dhalai during the day.

While CPIM Rajya Sabha MP Elaram Karim and Congress Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khalek were part of the team that visited Bishalgarh in Sepahijala and parts of West Tripura, a second team comprising Congress Lok Sabha MP Ranjita Ranjan and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MPs A A Rahim and Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya visited Kalkalia village in West Tripura. The third team of CPI(M) Lok Sabha MP P R Natarajan and Binoy Biswam visited different areas of Durgabari, Ushabazaar, Kalikapur, and a few other villages in the district. The team was accompanied by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and former Assembly Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar.

Damaged residence of Jamuna Das at Kalikapur in West Tripura

Karim and Khalek were accompanied by leaders such as All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Tripura Dr Ajay Kumar, state Congress president Birajit Sinha, senior Congress leader Gopal Chandra Roy, and Jitendra Chaudhary.

After returning from the spot, Abdul Khalek said nearly 20 shops were gutted in Nehalchandranagar and after the delegation reached the spot in the afternoon to take stock of the situation it came under attack. “We were informed some 20 shops were gutted in Nehalchandranagar in Bishalgarh. We went to visit those and talk to the affected people. Suddenly, some people came, said they were BJP supporters and claimed their shops were set ablaze. We started talking to them but some people started to pelt stones at our vehicles all of a sudden. Four of our vehicles were damaged. It is very surprising that the police didn’t do a single thing to help us,” he said.

Khalek said it was futile to talk about the safety and security of people when the state government could not even provide proper security to the delegation in broad daylight. The MP also said he visited Charipara, Gajaria, Vaishnabtilla, and other parts of West Tripura.

Ranjeeta Ranjan said, “Hooliganism is going on in broad daylight here and if the Opposition wants to simply stand in solidarity, attacks are being lashed out. If seven MPs and several MLAs aren’t safe in Tripura, how common people can be safe here?” she asked.

The Congress leader, who was accompanied by leaders such as AICC secretary Szarita Laitphlang and former MLA Ashish Kumar Saha, alleged that during her team’s visits a BJP supporter came out on the street and threatened them and local CPI(M) and Congress supporters, saying their houses will be razed. “I feel feels goons were being provided shelter from the law in Tripura and were let loose to attack anyone who wants to show solidarity to the victims of their violence,” said Ranjan.

In a statement, the CPI(M) state secretariat said the attack proves the deterioration of rule of law and the safety and security of people under the BJP’s watch. According to the CPI(M) and the Congress, at least 638 incidents of violence have occurred since March 2, including ransacking, looting, arson and assaults in different parts of the state. The parties have alleged that while some of the accused were detained, they were released soon after.

The police earlier claimed that more than 150 small and major incidents have occurred statewide since results were announced and more than 1,000 people were detained on preventive grounds while at least 10 were arrested on specific complaints.

BJP leaders were not available to comment on the Opposition’s allegations.