Attacks on Bharat Jodo Yatra in 3 places, 16 injured

When, in an attempt to revive the organizational structure, the opposition Tripura Pradesh Congress organizing “Bharat Jodo - Tripura Bacho Yatra” across Tripura, at least 16 persons including few police personnel were injured on Friday after attacks on foot processions in three separate places of the state.

Sources said that since Friday morning hundreds of Congress workers with flag, fastoons and decorated vehicles were marching in three places including Suryamani Nagar, at the outskirts of Agartala, Gholaghati area under Sepahijala district and to Santir Bazar market in South Tripura district. But, large-scale attacks had been organized in all three foot processions by Congress workers, resulting in 16 persons including few police personnel were injured after indiscriminate stone pelting and attacks on these processions allegedly by BJP workers.

After the attacks, a large number of Congress workers led by senior party leaders Gopal Chandra Roy and Ashish Saha gheraoed the police headquarters in Agartala along with their injured party workers demanding immediate intervention of DGP Amitabh Ranjan.

During agitation, speaking with media persons senior party leader and former MLA Ashish Kumar Saha said that all the “Bharat Jodo - Tripura Bacho Yatra” procession were organized with police permissions, but miscreants in large number owing allegiance with ruling party attacked their rallies with stones, sticks and vandalized their vehicles. He said that four Congress supporters suffered critical injuries during the attack at Suryamaninagar, 1o persons in Santir Bazar and a number of people were missing during the attack at Gholaghati area. Saha said that to seek an answer from police authority on why there had been attacks in spite of the programmes being held with permission obtained in advance from police following the officially sanctioned road map, DGP should answered –is they have any right to continue their political programme democratically or police will continue their support to the miscreants of ruling party.

He also said that many vehicles participating in the processions were completely vandalized and many of their party workers were hospitalized.

Reports from Santir Bazar said that when the Congress procession was moving the market areas, all of sudden massive stone-pelting started targeting the rally from a BJP office, leaving several injured, including three police constables.

Amidst war like situation, police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the attackers, which led to injuries to some BJP workers. During the massive stone pelting, Congress workers started leaving the spot to protect their lives, then some youths with sticks had also attacked them, but the timely action by CRPF jawans rescued the Congress workers.

Police sources said that as the situation was going out of control, police charged batons to disperse the youths, during which some people might be injured.

Later, agitated BJP supporters protested outside the police station over the lathi charge on their supporters and demanded suspension of OC of Santir Bazar police station.

Police sources added that so far no FIR has been lodged regarding the incidents till now but the police will start a suo-motu investigation into the incident and now situation is now under control in all three places, where attacks were organized

On the birth anniversary of former PM Indira Gandhi on November 19 last, Congress started the “Bharat Jodo - Tripura Bacho Yatra” in all sixty assembly constituencies with an objective to ensure that the concerns and demands of the people reach Delhi.

Speaking with media persons after the attacks, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman said that the people of the state have decided to unseat the ‘anti-people’ BJP government through democratic means of election and claimed that BJP has ruined the state and hundreds of BJP supporters are now joining Congress for the betrayal politics of BJP government. "Seeing the massive rallies of Congress workers, BJP workers in desperation and worrying over their losing ground started attacks on Congress workers," said Sudip and added that despite attack after attacks, the police administration is not taking any action against miscreants.

It may be recalled here that Congress, as part of the national-level Bharat Jodo Yatra by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Tripura state unit of the party, are organizing similar marches in all subdivisions of the state.