Tripura: No arrest yet over attack on TIPRA chairman Pradyot

Agartala: A day after Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) chairman and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Deb Barman faced attack inside the Mohanpur sub-divisional magistrate’s (SDM) office in West Tripura district on Friday, the Tripura police are yet to arrest anyone involved in the incident, said a police official on Saturday.

Speaking with EastMojo, an official from the state police headquarters said that the TIPRA chairman had gone to Mohanpur SDM office when a group of miscreants started attacking the office.

“A team of police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The local administration imposed restriction under Section 144 in the area. Now, the situation is peaceful,” the official said.

He also said that the Facebook live of the royal scion had created panic for a certain period as people started gathering in front of the SDM’s office. However, after he made another appeal on Facebook, the situation was brought under control as people started returning back home.

“I went to the SDM’s office with the candidate and we were discussing with the official about the counting process to be held on Saturday, when some miscreants entered the SDM’s office and started pelting stones and attacking our supporters,” Deb Barman said.

He also said that people who were in hundreds outnumbered the cops and started getting violent upon knowing about the presence of the TIPRA chairman inside the SDM’s office.

“On noticing the activities of the ongoing ruckus inside the SDM office, I went live on Facebook and showed the reality to the people across the state. How could somebody enter the SDM office with lathis and iron rods to attack me and other leaders?” Deb Barman questioned.

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He claimed that soon after the attack on the SDM office which continued for almost an hour, CM Biplab Kumar Deb himself called and inquired on his health and assured to take appropriate action against the miscreants.

“The Director General of Police also called me and assured me to take action against all those responsible behind the attack,” Deb Barman added.

In an oblique reference to law minister Ratan Lal Nath, he further said, “Instead of attacking me in the state assembly and organising the physical attack, you should fight with me politically. I will show you who has got the people’s support,” Deb Barman said.

Reacting to the attack on the TIPRA chairman, BJP state spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said that the attack was perpetrated by the opposition CPIM to create unrest ahead of the vote counting day for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

“The CPIM is afraid of losing their ground in the ADC and therefore they are trying to create panic across the state through the back door,” Bhattacharya added.

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