Protesting Vegetable Traders in Teliamura Allege Police Extortion and Harassment at Hawaibari Naka Point
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 8, 2025
A group of agitating poor vegetable traders at Hawaibari Naka Point under Teliamura Police Station erupted in protest today, accusing a police constable of extortion and unlawful harassment. The constable, identified as Biswajit Malakar, allegedly stopped vegetable-laden vehicles and demanded bribes on the pretext of checking vehicle documents and claiming overloading violations.
According to the aggrieved traders and transporters, it has become a daily ordeal for them to pass through Teliamura's check points without paying bribes to the police. They allege that failure to comply results in their vehicles being detained for hours, under the guise of legal checks. The traders claim this has turned into a systematic method of extortion by certain police personnel in the area.
"Today, our patience ran out," said one of the protesting vegetable traders. "The constable stopped our vehicle for so-called overloading and demanded money. When we refused, he threatened us. That's when we all gathered and exposed the matter before the media."
The traders further alleged that Teliamura's naka points have become hubs of police extortion not just for vegetable vehicles, but also for trucks carrying sand, bricks, and even cattle. “Without paying the police, no goods vehicle can move on this route,” they claimed. Shockingly, they added that while such harassment is routine for honest traders, vehicles allegedly carrying narcotic substances often escape police scrutiny.
A visibly angry protester also pointed out that police often fail to respond promptly to road accidents in the area, but are always quick to show up when it comes to collecting bribes. "Even today, around 12:30 PM, police were seen extorting money from a brick-loaded Bolero vehicle at Madhabbari in Jirania,” he said.
The protesting traders revealed that if their vehicles exceed the weight limit, the police ask for a bribe ranging from rupees 400 to 500. If they refuse to pay, the vehicles are kept detained for hours with threats of legal action. "This has now become the main job of the Teliamura police," one of them said.
The protests culminated with the traders surrounding the accused constable and vocally demanding his immediate suspension. Speaking openly before journalists’ cameras, they urged higher authorities to take immediate action against corrupt officers and restore law and order.
Local residents and transporters supported the traders' allegations and called for a broader inquiry into the alleged extortion practices along the Teliamura route.
As of now, no official statement has been released by the Police Headquarters in Agartala or Khowai District police authorities. However, the incident has sparked widespread discussion and demands for a high-level investigation into the extortion allegations raised by the vegetable traders.
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