DGP's Suicide: Former Tripura Chief Minister questions government’s reluctance to order an independent inquiry

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 10, 2026

Former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar has once again raised questions over the death of former Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar, saying that the circumstances surrounding the death warranted a “proper” and independent investigation.

Speaking at a public meeting organised in Dharmanagar in connection with the State Conference of the Tripura Tea Workers’ Union, Mr. Sarkar questioned the State government’s position on the demand for an inquiry into the former police chief’s death.

Mr. Sarkar said that when questions had been raised over the death of a former DGP, all aspects of the case should be examined through an impartial investigation. He argued that an inquiry was necessary to establish the facts and address the questions that had emerged following the incident.

The former Chief Minister also referred to the alleged suicide note associated with Mr. Dhankar’s death. He questioned why the State government had not made its position clear on the contents of the note and what action, if any, had been taken on the basis of the information contained in it.

According to Mr. Sarkar, the circumstances surrounding the death should not be viewed only through the immediate conclusion of suicide or as an ordinary death. He called for all possible aspects to be examined during an investigation.

Mr. Sarkar further alleged that the BJP-led State government was unwilling to facilitate an inquiry into the death through the Chief Justice of the High Court. He questioned the reasons for the government’s alleged reluctance to pursue such a course.

“Why is the government not ready for such an investigation?” Mr. Sarkar asked, while stressing that an inquiry would help establish the truth behind the death.

The former Chief Minister’s remarks have brought the issue back into the political discourse in Tripura. Questions had earlier been raised in political circles over the circumstances surrounding Mr. Dhankar’s death. Mr. Sarkar’s latest comments have renewed the demand for a closer examination of the case, particularly in the context of the reported suicide note.

However, the government’s response to the allegations was not immediately available.

Mr. Sarkar said that the issue should not be allowed to remain confined to political allegations and that the circumstances of the death should be examined through an appropriate investigative process. The demand, he maintained, was aimed at establishing the facts rather than drawing conclusions without a detailed inquiry.

The controversy comes at a time when the role and accountability of senior police officials in the State have also been a subject of political debate. The former Chief Minister’s renewed demand is likely to put further pressure on the State government to clarify its position on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Dhankar’s death and the reported suicide note.

For now, the principal questions raised by Mr. Sarkar concern the circumstances of the death, the contents and authenticity of the reported suicide note, and whether any independent investigation has been considered by the State authorities.

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