Four police personnel, including Bishalgarh police station OC Bijoy Das, have been closed from duty amid allegations over the disappearance of 2.7 kg gold ornaments from a seized vehicle. Tripura High Court has ordered a Crime Branch probe into the case.
Four police personnel posted at Bishalgarh police station, including the officer-in-charge, have been closed from duty following serious allegations surrounding the alleged disappearance of around 2.7 kg of gold ornaments from a vehicle that had been taken to the police station.
The development comes amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of arbitrary and unlawful seizure of a vehicle carrying gold ornaments. The Tripura High Court has already directed the state police department to initiate a Crime Branch investigation into the mysterious disappearance of the ornaments while the vehicle, carrying the petitioner and the gold, was parked inside the Bishalgarh police station premises.
The police personnel who have been closed from duty have been identified as Bishalgarh police station officer-in-charge Bijoy Das, second OC Supratim Dey, sub-inspector Banijay Reang, and constable Bahar Mia. A case bearing number 73/2026 has also been registered at Bishalgarh police station in connection with the allegations.
The incident dates back to February this year, when a family from the Sonamura-Melaghar area was travelling towards Agartala carrying family gold ornaments. According to the family, the ornaments were being taken for sale to arrange funds for the treatment of an ailing relative.
The family alleged that their vehicle was stopped by police personnel near Bishalgarh College, following which a search was conducted. More than three kilograms of gold ornaments were allegedly found inside the vehicle. The vehicle was subsequently taken first to a tea garden area and later to Bishalgarh police station, reportedly on the instructions of police personnel.
According to the complainants, they were questioned at the police station for a considerable period regarding the gold ornaments and the purpose of carrying them. However, after they were eventually released, the family allegedly discovered that the ornaments were no longer inside the vehicle.
The family subsequently held the police officials responsible for the alleged disappearance of the gold ornaments and sought action against those involved. The matter was initially raised at the local level, but the complainants later approached the court after alleging that they had not received the desired action.
The Tripura High Court subsequently directed the registration of an FIR against Bishalgarh police station OC Bijoy Das and two police personnel of sub-inspector rank. The court also directed that a competent officer from the Crime Branch be appointed to investigate the matter.
The court’s intervention has brought increased scrutiny to the circumstances under which the vehicle was stopped, searched and taken to the police station, as well as the subsequent disappearance of the gold ornaments. The central issue before the investigators is expected to be the whereabouts of the missing ornaments and the sequence of events between the seizure of the vehicle and the alleged disappearance.
Police department sources said the investigation was still underway. The decision to close the four personnel from duty was reportedly taken to facilitate an impartial investigation and prevent any possibility of interference while the allegations are being examined.
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The case has drawn attention because the alleged disappearance occurred after the vehicle and its occupants had been brought to a police station, where the gold ornaments were reportedly present. The ongoing Crime Branch probe is expected to establish the facts, identify responsibility, and determine what happened to the missing 2.7 kg of gold.
Authorities are now awaiting the outcome of the investigation, which could clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged seizure, the police action at Bishalgarh police station and the disappearance of the valuable ornaments.
