Bishalgarh: Political clash leaves several injured

A part of Sepahijala district turned into a battle ground when two groups of Congress and BJP got engaged in a clash leaving several persons injured.

While some of the eyewitnesses called it a ‘pre-planned’ incident sponsored by the Congress, for many it was nothing but a show of immature politics. Meanwhile, the BJP supporters raised an allegation that local police was favouring the Congress supporters giving them a free hand.

At least seven persons including two mandal presidents sustained severe injuries when the clash erupted between two groups of Congress and ruling BJP supporters. Besides, three motor cycles were also damaged in the incident.

As reported by the local people, two groups of Congress supporters from Udaipur were on the way to Agartala in two vehicles for attending a party programme- celebration of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

When the vehicles reached near Sepahijala wildlife sanctuary, a group of youths stopped them and raised question that social distancing was not being maintained. At the same time, the people, who were inside the vehicles, also retaliated the youths which later appeared to be source of the clash.

The argument then turned into scuffle and then to massive clash-- all of sudden, a large group of people mostly BJP supporters gathered at the spot. In the meantime Bishargarh police was called but three motorcycles were damaged before the policemen led Officer-in-Charge Bimal Baidya by reached the spot.

The policemen made all possible efforts to bring the situation under control but the BJP-Congress supporters continue to attack each other. Finally, SDPO Bishalgarh Tapas Kanti Paul reached the spot and finding no other option, he resorted to lathi charge. After the lathi-charge, some of the ruling party workers along with Charilam mandal president Rajkumar Debnath and Bishalgarh mandal president Sushanta Deb were found to be injured. However, they claimed that the attack from Congress men had left them injured.

In the meantime, the Congress supporters who also received minor injuries managed to escape from the spot. Now, there was another seen—some of the agitating BJP supporters alleged that the policemen were favouring the Congress supporters during the incident.

It was then the BJP supporters sat in protest on the national highway demanding immediate suspension of the SDPO and the OC. The road blockade disrupted the normal traffic for over an hour.

Finally, the road blockade was withdrawn when SP Sepahijala Krishnendu Chakraborty intervened into the matter.

In another round of protest, the BJP activists had gheraoed Bishalgarh police station with the same demand. In the meantime, MP Pratima Bhowmik, BJP Janajati Morcha Patik Kishore Debbarma, DIG Soumitra Dhar and other police officials reached the police station and held an important meeting and normalized the situation. The DIG has assured that a fair investigation would be conducted into the incident.

Later speaking to media, MP Pratima Bhowmik said, there is no permission for large gathering due to COVID19 situation. But the Congressmen were violating the norms. In that case, she demanded a fair investigation be done into the incident. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Verma also visited the local party office and held meeting with mandal president and others.

The state unit of BJP strongly condemning the incident said a section of policemen was involved in attacking the party activists. The party demanded immediate action against the culprits.

A press note from the BJP state unit said the two injured mandal presidents were shifted to Tripura Medical College, Hapania and more twenty party supporters sustained minor injuries.