Massive clash between BJP and CPI (M) at Charilam, one killed, dozen more injured

After a massive political clash erupted at Charilam Bazar under Sepahijala district on Wednesday among the supporters of ruling BJP and opposition CPI(M), one sexagenarian man killed and as many as dozen of both party supporters suffered critical injuries.

Sources said that during clash and pit-battle among both party supporters in the middle of National Highway-8, few police personnel and scribes also suffered injuries.

Opposition CPI (M) alleged that one of their sexagenarian party supporter identified as Sahid Miah (65) on way to GB Hospital succumbed due to his critical injuries and 12 party leaders and supporters including MLA and former Minister Bhanulal Saha and district committee leader Pradesh Roy were also suffered injuries.

CPI (M) state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury said that after 56 months, local party leaders and supporters on Wednesday scheduled to open the closed party office and will submit a deputation to Charilam block with valid police permission. When party supporters noticed BJP workers already gathered ast block office, and then they moved towards the party office and organized the street meeting. But, all of sudden BJP workers started massive stone pelting targeting CPI (M) workers and hurled crude bombs in presence of large number of police forces.

Chowdhury said that their party workers also tried to resist the violent attack on them, but police instead of taking any step to stop the attacks; they unauthorisedly allowed miscreants to continue their rampant attack.

Opposition leader Manik Sarkar after visiting party leaders and workers at GB Hospital strongly condemned the attack and claimed that ``it reflected the desperation of the ruling party to create unrest before the assembly elections as they have already lost the support of common people.”

He also strongly condemned the attack on peaceful meetings and demanded immediate arrest of all accused persons. He also said that people of the state are watching everything and they are now ready to give them a befitting reply to the ruling party.

While, after visiting the injured party workers, Information and Cultural Affairs (ICA) Minister Sushanta Chowdhury speaking with media persons at the outside of GB Hospital claimed that ‘it’s a deep rooted conspiracy hatched by opposition CPI(M) anticipating their defeat in ensuing 2023 assembly elections and are trying to vitiate the peaceful environment of the state. He said people of Tripura will give them a big lesson in coming days and added that people are very happy with the ongoing developmental process of the state government and improving the peaceful environment across the state since 2018.

Over a question on the murder of one CPI(M) worker in the violence, Chowdhury said its undoubtedly a conspiracy and attacking in a democratic movement and for the alleged murder we have to go in the root of conspiracy.

“If any government and if we reccaled the 1998 episode, the then cabinet minister was murdered, ruling MLA , SDM(Sadar)   and sitting opposition MLA being murdered and it is crystal clear that it’s a deep rooted conspiracy and killing or murder a simple party workers is not a big deal for them,” said Chowdhury and added that people of state are also watching the deep rooted conspiracy of CPI(M).

Meanwhile, Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) of Bishalgarh BB Das said the police brought the situation under control immediately, and the exact number of injured persons is yet to be ascertained.

Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, the MLA of Charilam in a media interaction said that CPI(M) MLA Bhanulal  Saha was responsible for the violence ahead of the assembly elections.

"Over the last few days, the former minister has been trying to control Charilam by hiring goons from Bishalgarh. Today, he made the same attempt again and our workers resisted it, leading to the clash. Historically, it is a peaceful area," he alleged.

However, opposition CPI(M) in a statement said that they will organize a statewide protest against the barbaric attack on their peaceful meeting, killing one party worker and injuring dozens more. They also appealed to the peace loving people of state to come forward to resist violent attacks by the ruling party.