The Left Front unit in Tripura has announced a dawn-to-dusk bandh to protest political violence in the run-up to the August 8 Panchayat Elections following the death of a CPIM candidate who was assaulted by alleged BJP activists a couple of days ago.
Badal Shil, a 51-year-old member of the CPIM Belonia divisional committee, was reportedly attacked by BJP goons on July 11 while returning after submitting his nomination papers for the South Tripura Zilla Parishad’s seat No. 4. Shil succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.
Soon after the demise of Badal Shil, Left Front state convenor Narayan Kar declared a 12-hour state-level bandh set for Sunday during a press conference held at the CPIM state headquarters today evening. Kar denounced the violence and called the attack on Shil premeditated.
According to Kar, BJP-backed hooligans initially assaulted Badal Shil on Thursday while he was on his way back from submitting his nomination papers. Later that evening, Shil was attacked again at Chottakhola market by the same group using sharp weapons, rods, and wooden sticks, even in the presence of local residents.
Shil was first treated at the local Chottakhola hospital, then transferred to Santibazar district hospital, and finally to GBP hospital in Agartala, where he died from his injuries around 2 PM on Saturday. Kar demanded swift government action against those responsible for Shil’s death.
CPIM state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury described the murder as an “infernal act” and insisted that the people of Tripura will not tolerate such brutality. He urged the public to back the bandh strengthening the stance against political violence.
In another press conference earlier on Saturday afternoon, Chaudhury recounted that the incident took place when CPIM candidates for 13 Panchayat Samiti seats and 123 Gram Panchayat seats, led by former MLA Sudhan Das, were heading from the Raj Nagar motor stand area in the South Tripura District towards the BDO office.
Upon reaching the Raj Nagar colony higher secondary school, they were reportedly ambushed by a group of armed BJP miscreants. Several CPIM workers and supporters were injured in the attack, including Shil, who sustained a severe head injury, Chaudhury added.
Later, Left Front supporters held a rally in Agartala and other parts of the State condemning the political violence and in support of tomorrow’s bandh.
(Tripura, Tripura News)
