The CPI (M) state secretary and MLA Jitendra Chaudhury has strongly protested the induced death of party worker and professional tailor Apu Acharjee on account of the conspiracy of local miscreants of Jirania and urged the Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha to treat his letter as a FIR.

Chaudhury in a letter to the Chief Minister said that Acharjee (62) was a tailor of Jirania and a leader of Tripura Tailoring Workers Union, who had been maintaining a livelihood in the tailoring profession in a tailoring shop owned by him at Jirania Market. This was his only source of income. Immediately after Assembly election results came out on 2nd March 2023, because of his attachment with Tailoring Workers Union, which is not in the liking of the BJP, the shop of Apu Acharjee was put under lock by some local BJP workers led by one Goutam Paul and his associates

“Since then Apu Acharjee and his family members were driven out of his house and were forced to take shelter in the house of relatives. He knocked several BJP leaders to allow him to stay in his house and let his shop open. But nobody responded positively. In the third week of March, when Apu Acharjee went to his house at Chitta Ranjan Palli, Jirania, Goutam Paul and his associates beat him mercilessly. On 29th March 2023, Apu Acharjee along with his family members (son and daughter-in-law) went to Jirania market and politely requested the BJP workers to render his entire family to survive by letting his shop open. Instead of being sensible towards his heart-breaking request, Goutam Paul and his associates of Jirania rebuked him filthily and Goutam Paul said “Tur baba Tapan Das-ke bal dukan khule dite” (Tell your father Tapan Das to let the shop open)” alleged Chaudhury in his letter.

He said that already worried and weakened due to uncertainty to get back his only source of income, Apu Acharjee fell ill in the evening on 29th March, 2023. From Jirania PHC, he was referred to IGM Hospital where he breathed his last.

“This is a calculated, cruel murder, both by beating and starving. This is the new method introduced in the state to force the opposition supporters to bow down to the ruling party by curbing all their means of livelihood. Such type of incidents of political vendetta is taking place randomly throughout the state with direct abetment of some BJP leaders,” alleged Chaudhury.

He demanded that as the victim family is not in a position to file FIR and urged the Chief Minister to direct the competent police authority to treat his letter as an FIR, and conduct a thorough inquiry in the case and immediate arrest of the persons whoever found responsible for locking the shop of Apu Acharjee and harassing him.He also requested the Chief Minister to sanction a suitable amount to the family members of late Apu Acharjee for their survival.