Agartala: A joint fact-finding team from the Left parties and the Congress, including MPs and MLAs, which arrived in Agartala on Friday to look into post-poll violence in Tripura, was attacked in Sepahijala district, reports, citing the police, claimed.
While the police said the team was attacked by unknown miscreants, Congress MP from Assam Abdul Khaliq, who was part of the team, alleged that the attackers claimed that they were Bharatiya Janata Party workers and pelted stones. “Three-four of our vehicles were vandalised. The police did nothing. We realised there is no rule of law in Tripura,” news agency ANI quoted Khaliq as saying.
Assistant inspector general (law and order) Jyotishman Das Chowdhury told news agency PTI that no one of the eight-member team was injured in the attack in Nehalchandrangar.
“A delegation of MPs, MLAs and local leaders of the Left parties and the Congress made an unscheduled visit to Nehalchandranagar in Bishalgarh today. During their visit, sloganeering was done and their vehicles were attacked by some miscreants. The police escort team responded quickly and rescued members of the delegation safely… No injury to any person was reported but two-three vehicles have been damaged in the attack,” Chowdhury said.
The officer, however, said one person has been detained in the incident.
“Raids are on to identify and arrest other miscreants. Senior police officers are there at the spot,” he said.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh condemned the incident. “A delegation of Congress leaders was attacked by BJP goons today in Bishalgarh and Mohanpur in Tripura. Police accompanying the delegation did nothing. And tomorrow BJP is having a victory rally there. Victory of party-sponsored violence,” Mr Ramesh tweeted.
Congress and CPI(M) leaders said the parliamentary team, comprising four Lok Sabha MPs and three Rajya Sabha MPs divided into three groups, are visiting violence-hit villages and urban areas in three districts – West Tripura, Sepahijala and Gomati.
Local MLAs of the to parties accompanied the parliamentary teams, comprising PR Natarajan, Ranjita Ranjan, AA Rahim, Abdul Khalique, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, Vinay Viswam and Elaram Karim.
