Teacher assaulted, one stabbed in Bishalgarh: CPIM, Cong condemn
Agartala/Bishalgarh, August 26: After a schoolteacher and a BJP worker were brutally attacked by some miscreants on the night of August 25 at Bishalgarh in Tripura, the opposition parties launched verbal attacks accusing the ruling BJP government of failing to curb anti-social elements and maintain law and order.
As tensions escalate, local residents fear further unrest in an area already reeling from a series of violent political clashes.
Opposition parties condemn violence:
At a press conference on Tuesday, leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) Bishalgarh Sub-division Committee condemned the attacks, alleging that intra-party rivalries within the BJP were fueling violence in the region.
Highlighting series of attacks on CPIM supporters after BJP came into power in 2018, they claimed that 386 homes of CPIM supporters had been demolished in previous attacks, with party offices vandalized and set ablaze 11 times.
“We warned that such violence would not remain limited to our workers. Every section of society will come under attacks. Now, even teachers and ruling party supporters are being targeted,” a CPIM spokesperson said, pointing to a broader pattern of lawlessness.
The cycle of violence in Bishalgarh has become deeply entrenched, with attacks on individuals, even own party supporters, now a disturbing norm.
Opposition leaders from the CPIM allege that these incidents are fueled by illicit financial dealings and illegal profits, creating a dangerous pattern that shows no signs of abating.
They warn that the violence is likely to escalate further in the coming days. Without explicitly naming any political group, CPIM leaders emphasized that people are well aware about the culprits behind these attacks.
Without directly naming the BJP, they suggested that the perpetrators were backed by influential political figures.
The Bishalgarh unit of the Congress party echoed these concerns, attributing the surge in violence to ineffective policing. “The police’s inaction has allowed anti-social elements to operate with impunity, leading to a complete breakdown of law and order,” a Congress leader stated. Both opposition parties demanded swift and severe punishment for those responsible.
Nabadal Banik, a prominent BJP leader, also condemned the attacks and reportedly expressed concern at the prevailing law and order situation in Bishalgarh. Local sources suspected, BJP worker Das’s stabbing was likely a retaliatory act tied to the earlier protest at the police station over the attack on the teacher.
Background: Brutal assaults on teacher
Rajesh Sur Chowdhury, a respected teacher at Bishalgarh Higher Secondary School, was viciously attacked on Monday afternoon by a group of assailants in front of the Bishalgarh Sub-Divisional Hospital. The assault left Chowdhury severely injured.
Local shopkeepers rushed him to the hospital for treatment. Enraged by the incident, students, teachers, and parents gathered outside the Bishalgarh police station, demanding justice.
Later that evening, around 8:30 PM, Pranoy Das, a BJP worker and associate of Nabadal Banik, Chairman of the Tripura Industrial Development Corporation, was stabbed on a bypass road.
The attack is believed to be linked to Das’s presence at the police station earlier, where he accompanied others to protest the assault on Chowdhury.
| From archive: Tripura: Ruling BJP, Oppn CPIM, Cong allege political disturbances, violence |
Critically injured, Das was initially treated at Bishalgarh Hospital but was later transferred to GBP Hospital in Agartala due to his deteriorating condition.
Police response and ongoing tensions
Tripura Police have launched an investigation into the twin attacks and arrested one suspect as of the latest reports. The District Police Superintendent Bijoy Debbarma along with a significant security force is keeping a watch on the evolving situation.
On Monday night, miscreants reportedly vandalized the home of Ratan Sutradhar in the Sarkartila area, even as police patrolled nearby. Shops in Bishalgarh and surrounding areas closed early, and residents stayed indoors, fearing further violence.
Calls for action amid growing fear
As Bishalgarh remains on edge, opposition leaders have demanded stern pusnishments for those involved in the violence and restore order. Meanwhile, residents express growing fear that the unchecked activities of anti-social elements could lead to larger, more destructive incidents.
As investigations continue, the people of Bishalgarh await concrete steps to ensure their safety and prevent further escalation of violence.
