Tripura: Tension rises in Kanchanpur after pump operator allegedly thrashed by miscreants

Amidst the ongoing indefinite protest in Tripura against the re-settlement of the Bru migrants in Kanchanpur sub-division on Tuesday, a 36-year-old water supply operator was attacked by a group of miscreants in the Purba Laxmipur area which has escalated tension between the two groups.

Reportedly on Tuesday morning while Subal Dey was attending his duty at the water supply, he argued with a group of people who later started assaulting him and attacked him with a sharp weapon.

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Later he was rushed to Dasda primary health centre from where he was shifted to Kanchanpur sub-division hospital. Later the doctors on duty referred him to North district hospital in Dharmanagar.

Following the incident, a team of police led by Kanchanpur sub-division police officer (SDPO) Bikramjit Shukladas rushed to the spot, while a huge deployment of police and TSR had made across Kanchanpur sub-division to keep the situation under control.

The North district superintendent of police, Bhanupada Chakraborty also reached Kanchanpur to take stock of the situation in Kanchanpur.

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Meanwhile, a meeting through video conference was conveyed by the North district magistrate B Nagesh Kumar to hold talks with the agitated group.

Speaking with EastMojo, Sushanta Bikash Barua, convener of JMC said that Subal was attacked by a group of Bru refugees and their leaders and he was referred to the district hospital with serious injuries.

“We have participated in a meeting called by the North district magistrate in presence of the Kanchanpur sub-division magistrate. We have been asked to withdraw our protest. However, we have denied their appeal and demanded that until and unless our demands are met the protest would continue”, Barua said.

He also said that the indefinite protest would continue unless assurance in black and white from the state ministry or secretary level is handed over to them.

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Since Monday the Joint Movement Committee consisting of Bengali and Mizo organisations have called for an indefinite strike from Monday, alleging breach of promise by the Tripura government in the resettlement of Bru migrants in Kanchanpur subdivision.

Nagarik Suraksha Mancha, a local Bengali organisation, was formed in December last year following violence during the series of anti-CAA protests in parts of Kanchanpur sub-division. Several shops and houses were vandalised in the violence, which the Mancha said was perpetrated by tribal protesters including Bru migrants from the relief camps.

Earlier in January, after signing the agreement, Union home minister Amit Shah had announced a 40×30 ft area plot to build a house, Rs 4 lakh as fixed deposit, financial aid of Rs 5,000 per month along with free ration supply for the next two years to all the Bru families. To build houses, an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh will also be provided to every family.

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The Tripura government had identified a total of 3,600 hectares of land in 11 locations in list one for resettling 4, 900 families comprising 33,000 people across the state.

The two local organisations have been protesting the resettlement of Brus since December last year after the government proposed to settle several families in the Kanchanpur sub-division.

The leaders had alleged that since the arrival of Brus in 1997, there has been a rise in crime and ethnic tension between the locals and Brus in the Kanchanpur subdivision resulting in loss of property and lives.

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