On the eve of counting of high-stake Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) polls on Saturday, TIPRA Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Debbarman came under attack on Friday. Police managed to safeguard him and he was unhurt. No one was arrested till press time.
The incident took place at the SDM Mohanpur office in West District. Later, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb talked to Debbarman and assured support. Meanwhile, addressing a press meet, Debbarman urged people to maintain peace on the day of counting.
Hundreds of miscreants armed with wooden faggots, clubs, and hand-friendly bamboo pieces, as it was shown in the CCTV footages, triggered a ruckus in the SDM office when Pradyot was in a meeting with the SDM. The present police officials managed to safeguard him and rescued him to the CCTV control room of the office. Pradyot through his official social media page live-streamed the whole incident and also recorded his heated conversation with the local police.
Sources said, the TIPRA Motha chairman went to meet SDM Mohanpur to clarify certain issues pertaining to the counting of votes scheduled on Friday. “We had a pleasant talk. But all of a sudden some miscreants stormed inside the office room of the SDM and triggered violence. The entrance of the SDM office was ransacked by the miscreants which could be seen in the videos”, Debbarman said over the phone.
Later, senior police officials of the sub-division rushed to the spot on knowing about the incident followed by which the tension doused to a certain level. The miscreants retreated from the entrance of the SDM office but camped at a place close to the SDM office. Debbarman was kept under police’s safe custody for a time being and was escorted to Agartala. According to sources, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb spoke to Debbarman over the phone and assured round support. Reaching Agartala, Debbarman called a press conference and appealed for peace.
“No violence shall be spread in my name. I am appealing to everyone to maintain peace on the day of counting. I have spoken to DGP Tripura police and cleared my point before him” he said.
Speaking on the attacks, he said, “as it seemed, it was a pre-planned attack. The miscreants laid a siege surrounding the SDM office and blocked the entry of anyone. They had their clear agenda of attacking us as all of them were armed. Police failed to arrest anyone and I had requested the police personnel present there to arrest them”.
