The Tripura Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed uproarious scenes and heated exchanges for the third day over the death of state Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar, whose body was found under mysterious circumstances in the washroom attached to his official chamber at the state police headquarters here on July 20.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, former Minister and Congress MLA, Sudip Roy Barman, raised the issue, saying that the DGP's wife had arrived in Tripura on Sunday and was enquiring whether her husband had left behind any suicide note.
Other Congress and CPI(M) members joined the protest and demanded a detailed statement from the government on the issue.
Despite repeated requests by Speaker Rampada Jamatia to allow the House to take up the scheduled business during Question Hour, the noisy scenes continued.
During the uproar, Congress and CPI(M) MLAs, led by Roy Barman and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, trooped into the Well of the House and raised slogans against the government.
The Opposition legislators also displayed placards and posters demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Manik Saha.
The Speaker repeatedly appealed to the Opposition members to return to their seats and allow the stipulated Question Hour to proceed.
Soon after Question Hour, the Congress and CPI (M) members again raised the issue, rushed to the Well of the House and continued shouting slogans.
As the ruckus persisted, the Speaker suspended Roy Barman from the House for the entire day and directed the Marshal and the Watch and Ward staff to physically remove the Congress legislator from the House.
The Speaker told the House that Roy Barman had been suspended under Rule 330 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Tripura Legislative Assembly. After raising slogans and shouting for a few more minutes, the entire Opposition walked out of the House.
Earlier, the Speaker said that the Chief Minister had made statements on the DGP's death on the first and second days of the ongoing Monsoon Session. Later, both Roy Barman and LoP Chaudhury alleged that the government was suppressing facts related to the death of the DGP.
Roy Barman also claimed that the Speaker had unlawfully suspended him from the House for raising what he described as the vital issue of the state police chief's death.
The Assembly had witnessed similar noisy scenes and heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches on the previous two days of the Monsoon Session over the death of DGP Anurag.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha had earlier said that the state government was making all-out efforts to uncover the truth behind the death of the state DGP.
Making a statement on the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Tripura Assembly on Thursday, Dr Saha had said that the state police had launched an extensive investigation into the death of the senior IPS officer.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said the probe was being closely monitored by Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Manchak Ipper and that the investigating team had already visited Delhi in connection with the case.
“The team would examine the post-mortem and forensic reports, digital evidence, mobile call records, various electronic devices, CCTV footage, documents and other relevant materials to ascertain the circumstances and reasons behind the DGP's death,” Chief Minister Dr Saha told the House.
“If anyone is found to have committed any illegal act in connection with the DGP's death, strict action would be taken as per law,” Dr Saha said, urging all concerned not to indulge in speculation before the investigation is completed.