Assam-Agartala road blocked by villager, later withdrawn

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Aug 29, 2024

Agartala, Aug 29 (FD) Aggrieved by the arrest of five people by the police allegedly for their involvement in the incident of setting ablaze twelve houses and damaging properties of the minority communities hundreds of villagers on Thursday staged a blockade on National Highway-8 or otherwise known as Assam-Agartala for around two hours.

They demanded to police for their immediate release claiming that they were not anyway involved in the incident.

Those houses, besides motorbikes and a few pickup vans, were set on fire at Kuchaibari in Ranirbazar area in the district by a mob after an idol of goddess Kali was found defaced on August 26.
    Police on Wednesday arrested five people in connection with the arson.

    Hundreds of villagers on Thursday gathered at Ranirbazar, around 10 km from the state capital Agartala, and held blockades on the national highway demanding that the five be released.

    The agitator vented their ire on the police as vehicular movement came to a standstill on the national highway.
    Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, who is also the local MLA, reached the spot and pacified the protestors assuring them that the police would act impartially.
    The minister also assured the agitators that he will build a temple at Durganagar at the earliest.

    “We have arrested five people in connection with the arson at Durganagar. The police will take action against those whose names would come up during the course of the investigation”, West Tripura Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar said.

He said the national highway is now clear for vehicular movement. FD JK