Police Prevent Political Delegations from Visiting Gandachara Following Unrest

Agartala, Jul 22, 2024, By Our Correspondent

Agartala:  July 22: On July 12, miscreants caused significant damage to houses and shops in Gandachara, creating a tense situation in the area. In response, several political leaders attempted to visit the affected region to support the victims.

MLA Sudip Roy Barman, Pradesh Congress President Ashish Kumar Saha, and Yuva Congress President Neel Kamal Saha, who had obtained permission from the District Magistrate, were stopped by the police. Similarly, a delegation including Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chowdhury and Sudhan Das faced police obstruction on their way to Gandachara.

The Congress delegation, which had received permission from the Dhalai District Governor, was halted by a large police force led by Additional District Superintendent of Police Manvendra Chowdhury near Amarpur. The police cited concerns that their visit could escalate tensions.

Despite the delegation’s request to allow a smaller group to proceed, the police did not grant permission. MLA Sudip Roy Barman questioned why other political figures, including Minister Tinku Roy and BJP leader Subal Bhowmik, were allowed to visit despite Section 163 being in force. The police did not provide a satisfactory response.

Sudip Barman criticized the police’s actions, suggesting that the situation in Gandachara has not normalized even after 11 days. He condemned the perceived suppression and concealment of the situation. Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chowdhury also expressed concern, stating that civil rights were being violated and the administration’s actions were unusual.

Both CPIM and Congress leaders voiced their worries about the ongoing unrest in Gandachara, indicating that the situation remains volatile.