Police Team Attacked, Officer Held Hostage During Late-Night Raid in Sonamura’s Tribal Area
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, April 7, 2026
A serious law-and-order situation unfolded in the tribal-dominated Rampada Para under Nalchar Assembly constituency on Tuesday night, when a police team led by the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sonamura Police Station came under attack while attempting to arrest accused persons linked to a recent political assault case.
According to reports, the police team, headed by OC Tapas Das, entered the area late at night to apprehend individuals allegedly involved in the recent attack on state minister Kishore Barman during ADC election campaigning. However, as soon as the police entered Rampada Para, they were surrounded and allegedly detained by supporters of Tipra Motha.
The situation quickly escalated, forcing the police personnel to take shelter inside a house in an attempt to protect themselves. For a period of time, the OC and his team were effectively held confined, creating panic within the police administration. Additional forces were later rushed to the spot, and the trapped officers were eventually rescued.
The incident has triggered strong reactions within police circles, as it is rare for a police team, especially led by an OC, to be overpowered and confined during an operation.
Sources said during the confrontation, Tipra Motha miscreants reportedly vandalised the official vehicle of OC Tapas Das and attacked multiple police vehicles. In a further escalation, the attackers allegedly seized mobile phones from police personnel. Police and Journalists present at the scene were also reportedly prevented from capturing photos and videos, raising concerns over press freedom and transparency in the area.
Sources said that the incident appears to be linked to a recent episode involving minister Kishore Barman, who was allegedly obstructed and attacked by Tipra Motha supporters while campaigning for ADC elections in the same village.
Sources indicate that tensions had been brewing after controversial remarks attributed to the minister, where he allegedly claimed that he did not win the 2023 elections with tribal votes and that the people of the area had not supported him. This reportedly led to resentment among local Tipra Motha supporters.
When the minister later visited the area for campaign purposes, he was reportedly stopped and prevented from entering the locality by organised groups of Tipra Motha supporters.
Police had launched a crackdown to arrest those involved in that earlier incident, which eventually led to Tuesday night’s violent confrontation.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the deteriorating law-and-order situation in parts of Tripura, particularly in politically sensitive tribal areas. The fact that a police team was detained and attacked during an official operation has intensified debate over security preparedness and political tensions ahead of ADC elections.
Authorities are yet to issue an official detailed statement, but further arrests and reinforcements are expected as the situation remains tense in the region.
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