Tripura: A parliamentary team including Left parties and Congress who arrived at the BJP-ruled Agartala on Friday to investigate the post-poll political violence and talk to the affected people were attacked. According to the officials, the team was on its two-day visit to Tripura.

‘Gruesome attack’

Speaking to the media, the former minister, CPI(M) Tripura state secretary, Jitendra Chaudhary said that the parliamentary team has been compelled to suspend its residual outdoor programmes scheduled today in the face of a “gruesome attack” unleashed upon them at Nehalchandra Nagar Bazar in Bishalgarh yesterday evening.

Official sources of Congress and CPI(M) said that when the members of the team went to violence-hit Bishalgarh in the Sepahijala district, some people attacked them and vandalised almost three vehicles. They also alleged that those people were backed by the ruling BJP party.

In a statement, the CPI(M) said, “The MPs and the accompanying Congress and CPI(M) leaders quickly left the place and escaped the major attack.”

BJP workers also obstructed the parliamentary team visit at Mohanpur in western Tripura.

Police statements: 2-3 vehicles vandalised

Taking notes, the police said that the MPs accompanied by local MLAs and leaders while making an unscheduled visit to Nehal Chandra Nagar in Bishalgarh faced sloganeering.

“The accompanying police escort team responded quickly and rescued the delegation safely. Senior officers were at the spot. No injury to any person has been reported. Damage to 2-3 vehicles has been reported. One suspect has been detained. Raids are on to identify and arrest other miscreants,” the police statement said.

Attack by BJP goons: Cong. Leader Ramesh

Taking to Twitter, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused BJP to be behind this attack. He wrote, “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.”

Demand for immediate arrest

Condemning the attack on the delegation, the CPI(M) demanded the arrest of all the miscreants immediately.

Most of the post-poll violence cases were reported from Sepahijala and Khowai districts. Chief minister Manik Saha asked the police to take stern action against the miscreants in order to maintain peace and tranquillity.

In the Tripura election, the BJP-IPFT government returned to power in the state for the second consecutive term as the saffron party won 32 seats in the 60-member assembly, while its ally the Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Tripura secured one constituency.