Rs 30 lakh worth tender sparks clashes in Kailashahar

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 5, 2025

Tension ran high inKailashahar on Thursday after a clash broke out between two rival contractor groups over the submission of a bank guarantee for a government tender. Panic gripped the town as the confrontation erupted in front of the Public Works Department (PWD) office.

The dispute centred on a Rs 30 lakh tender floated by the PWD. Two groups—one from Kailashahar town and the other from the northern part of the subdivision—had been asked to deposit their bank guarantees by September 5. However, with the office scheduled to remain closed on Friday for Fateha Doaz Daham, Thursday was fixed as the last date.

Trouble started around noon when members of the northern group arrived to submit their guarantee but were allegedly stopped by their rivals. Soon after, Kailashahar SDPO Jayanta Karmakar and Officer-in-Charge Tapas Malakar rushed to the spot with heavy deployment of police, TSR and central forces. Both groups were dispersed and pushed to opposite sides of the office premises.

A section of contractors, however, alleged that security forces themselves prevented them from entering the office to submit their documents. In protest, they staged a road blockade outside the PWD office, accusing the administration of siding with their rivals.

Despite repeated efforts, the group from the northern part of the town reportedly failed to submit their bank guarantee before the office closed at 5.30 pm. The blockade continued till evening, though police managed to avert further escalation.

Confirming the incident, SDPO Karmakar said law and order had been maintained and the situation was under control, though the dispute over tender submission remained unresolved.

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