Agartala, Nov 03: Section 144 was imposed in the Bishalgarh area under Tripura’s Sepahijala district after the Cong-BJP clash. Tension gripped the area followed by a series of political clashes between the opposition Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday.
According to eyewitnesses, workers of both parties indulged in physical confrontations, stone pelting, and the use of firearms after a dispute over installing flags took an ugly turn.
The Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Bishalgarh imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC to avert any further escalation of the tension. CRPF, TSR, and Police forces were deployed across the area in order to defuse the tension.
Amid the slugfest, political activists of both parties received injuries. A Congress worker identified as Sikandar Ali sustained injuries on his head and was referred to GB Pant hospital Agartala for treatment.
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Local sources said a Congress party office was to be reopened in the Rauth Khala area of Sepahijala on Saturday.
Former Chief Minister, and Congress leader Samir Ranjan Barman, was scheduled to inaugurate the party office. Ahead of the inauguration, Congress workers were installing party flags, banners, and festoons to mark the occasion.
On the other hand, BJP workers were taking part in a similar exercise for a forthcoming event. The BJP supporters alleged the Congress workers tried to pull down their flags and tore down decorations of the saffron party. Congress workers claimed their flags BJP supporters uprooted party flags and wrecked their banners.
As supporters of both parties gathered at the market area, they got involved in a heated argument that later snowballed into a full-fledged physical scuffle, fist-cuffs, and arson. Soon, police reached the spot and tried to defuse the boiling situation.
The Congress workers then staged a road blockade on the Agartala-Sabroom national highway, seeking immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the alleged unprovoked attacks on them.
The Congress leaders claimed BJP Mandal President Sushanta Deb and his close aides attacked them. The situation was calm for some time, but activists of both parties continued to mobilize in the market area.
Soon, the situation turned volatile again, even as the local market wore a deserted look with traders shutting down their shops. After a gap of some hours, the second round of clashes began.
The renovated Congress office was reduced to ashes. Bombs were hurled and according to the eyewitnesses, blank shots were also fired at Congress workers.
