Tripura police on downslide, working as second fiddle to ruling party , facilitate attacks on Congress leaders

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 12, 2022

There is an old saying that the police in a state or country is as good as the government is. Nothing illustrates the point better than the role of Tripura police over the past four and half years as the police here have virtually become auxiliary forces of the ruling party. During the lackluster tenure of former DGP V.S.Yadav it was believed that a new incumbent would be able to improve the functioning of Tripura police in terms of professionalism. But the hopes already lie dashed as the new DGP Amitabha Ranjan has so far done nothing to tone up the police force.

The point is borne out by the dangerous role of the police force led by additional SP Priya Madhuri Majumder and SDPO (Jirania) Himadri Das who had practically abdicated their responsibilities as far as controlling the violent incidents in Ranir Bazar was concerned. Sources who eye-witnessed the chain of incidents yesterday as well as Congress leaders said that the party had long been seeking police permission for holding a ‘Bharat Jodo’ programme in Ranir Bazar area near the Ghoramara bridge . But, reportedly under pressure from a powerful BJP leader and minister the police had been sitting on the permission sought one one pretext or another.

“We had informed the police that we will hold the programme and reached Ranir Bazar area near Ghoramara bridge for holding a meeting but the police said that permission had not been granted ; we the launched a road blockade and the police arrested all our leaders including Sudip Roybarma and tried to escort us back to Agartala but within a short while heavy stone pelting from BJP’s mafia elements lined up on both sides of the road ; the police’s pilot vehicle suddenly disappeared and a large number of BJP goons materialized on the spot and attacked the vehicle carrying us including the vehicle of Sudip Roybarman ; with injury Sudip was shifted to the vehicle of Rakhu Das but there also he sustained a serious injury on the head along with fourteen other workers of Congress”said PCC president Birajit Sinha , squarely blaming the police including Priya Madhuri Majumder and Himadri Das for the violence as they had disappeared from the spot.

Birajit said that police had initially assured the Congressmen that there was nothing to fear as the security was tight. But when trouble started there was no policemen around to cope with the situation, said Birajit , blaming police and minister Sushanta Chowdhury for the violence yesterday as police worked only as lackey of the ruling party.