Khowai situation turned volatile on Sunday when TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and other leaders Bratya Basu, Dola Sen , Kunal Ghosh went there to meet 14 party workers who had been detained by police for violation of public order and epidemic restrictions.
Trinamool Congress, which is trying to make a foray into the Tripura politics, claimed that they were subjected to assaults from BJP workers and police failed to take actions.
Having reached Agartala they, along with some others, went straight to Khowai. Three of the TMC leaders Debangshu Bhattacharya, Sudip Raha and Jaya Dutta had earlier suffered some injuries due to heavy brick-batting on Saturday. A total of 14 TMC workers were also slammed with 188 IPC and 3 of Epidemic Act- which are bail-able sections.
On Saturday evening they had taken a detour from Teliamura via Khowai to Agartala avoiding Haoiaibari on National Highway where a road blockade had been reportedly put up.
But in the meantime, reports came in from Baijolbari police station that a possible road blockade was being set and a crowd was getting ready for a violent face off with the TMC activists in Mohanpur area en route to Agartala. Khowai police immediately went out and intercepted the TMC convoy on the midway before they could reach Mohanpur. Police escorted them back to Dhalabil police line and arranged their night stay for security. Earlier, a TSR jawan was also got injured near Laltilla when the police tried to disperse mob which resorted to brickbatting. On Sunday morning at around 6.15 am the 14 TMC leaders and workers were brought to Khowai police station so as to avoid any further obstacles and gheraos.
However, in Khowai police station TMC leaders Bratya Basu, Kunal Ghosh and Dola Sen arrived soon and got engaged in a hot altercation with Officer In charge Monaranjan Debbarma. Later at around 12 when Banerjee reached Khowai police station, situation turned extremely volatile with hundreds of people gathering in front of the police station shouting Go back slogans. In police station Banerjee , Kunal Ghosh, Dola Sen, Bratya Basu and other had altercations with Additional SP Rajib Sengupta, SDPO Rajib Sutradhar alleging that police did not take action against those who attacked them. Soon they were joined by Subal Bhowmik.
In the meantime, the 14 detenus who had been escorted to court under heavy police protection were granted bail. At least three cars belonging to Subal Bhowmik, Brata Basu and tone belonging to a lawyer were damaged in stone pelting.
In the meantime, BJP said the opposition to the TMC was a spontaneous reactions from the common people who were protesting the barbaric attacks on BJP and others in West Bengal in the wake of TMC’s election victory.
BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee said, TMC trying to foment violence and create an environment of uncertainty in the state. They will never make any impact in the Tripura politics so they are trying to vitiate the situation.
The ‘outsiders’ are trying to spread the “virus of political violence’ in Tripura he said.
In the meantime, opposition CPM put its weight behind the TMC in Tripura condemning the Saturday incidents of brick batting on them.
