Uncontrolled Speed of Ministers Escort Vehicles Sparks Statewide Anger in Tripura After Fatal Accident in Bishalgarh
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, January 29, 2026
Widespread public resentment has erupted across Tripura over the unchecked speed and alleged recklessness of ministers escort vehicles, following the tragic death of a former headmaster in Bishalgarh. The incident has intensified demands from citizens for strict regulation and accountability of ministerial convoys on public roads.
The flashpoint came on Wednesday at the Bishalgarh bypass, where an escort vehicle accompanying Minister Shukla Charan Noatia reportedly hit Amar Chandra Chowdhury, a retired headmaster from the East Lakshmibil area of Bishalgarh. The accident occurred near the Lockdown Bazar area as the minister’s convoy was travelling from Agartala towards South Tripura to attend an official programme.
According to sources, Chowdhury was critically injured when the high-speed escort vehicle struck him while he was crossing the road. He was immediately rushed to Bishalgarh Hospital in the same escort vehicle and later referred to GB Hospital in Agartala, where doctors declared him dead.
Eyewitnesses stated that the escort vehicle was moving at an extremely high speed and appeared to be beyond the driver’s control at the moment of impact. They opined that had the vehicle been travelling at a lower speed, the driver might have been able to avoid the accident. The incident has once again brought to the forefront a long-simmering public grievance regarding the manner in which ministerial convoys operate on Tripura’s roads.
Tripura already witnesses road accidents almost daily, many of them fatal, largely attributed to rash and negligent driving. While the state government claims to be making sustained efforts to improve road safety, members of the public allege that these rules are selectively enforced. A major point of contention is that traffic regulations, including speed limits and red-light signals, appear to apply strictly to ordinary citizens, while ministers’ vehicles and their escorts often flout them with impunity.
Commuters and pedestrians allege that traffic police personnel frequently turn a blind eye to speeding ministerial convoys. In some cases, traffic policemen are seen prioritising salutes and ceremonial protocol over traffic control, allowing escort vehicles to speed through red lights while halting common road users. This, citizens argue, not only disrupts traffic flow but also puts lives at serious risk.
Residents of Agartala and other parts of the state point out that traffic congestion is a daily ordeal, yet when ministers travel to official or party programmes, their convoys, including escort vehicles and the ministers own cars
often move at such high speeds that neither other drivers nor pedestrians get adequate time to react. This has led to a fundamental question being raised by the public: are speed limits and traffic rules meant only for ordinary citizens?
It is not the first time such allegations have surfaced. There have been previous instances where pedestrians were injured or even killed after being hit by escort vehicles of ministers. However, people allege that no visible corrective steps have been taken, nor is it clear whether ministers themselves issue strict instructions to their drivers and escort personnel to adhere to traffic norms.
The death of Amar Chandra Chowdhury has therefore become a symbol of a larger public concern. Citizens from various sections of society are now openly demanding that the government rein in the speed and behaviour of ministerial escort vehicles, ensure uniform application of traffic laws, and hold those responsible accountable, so that public roads do not become zones of fear for ordinary people.
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