The dawn-to-dusk strike in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council
(ADC) called by tribal parties and organizations on Saturday, in
protest against Tuesday’s police firing on agitators against the
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed off peacefully.
With the exception of BJP’s ally in the government Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura
(IPFT), all tribal organizations — Indigenous Nationalist Party of
Twipra, the Tipraha faction of IPFT, National Conference of Tripura and
Tripura Students’ Federation — supported the bandh.
The protesting organizations have sought a judicial inquiry into the
firing, suspension of erring police personnel and compensation of Rs 25
lakh for the injured.
Police said there was no untoward incident reported from anywhere, as
sufficient security personnel have been deployed across the two-thirds
of the state under the ADC. Except educational institutions and markets,
all the government offices and banks were closed since it was the
month’s second Saturday.
Movement of vehicles in the ADC areas did not stop due to strike. However, in a few areas, protesters held rallies.
North East Students’ Organization (Neso) adviser Samujjal
Bhattacharya, who was in the state on Saturday, said, “It was unprovoked
targeted firing by police on the demonstrators to create chaos and
destabilise the movement against illegal foreigners. There was no
executive magistrate present during firing and police was desperate to
hush up the incident and the government has stood up with the accused
persons. They prevented usfrom entering the ADC headquarter hospital
where some injured were being treated. We want a judicial inquiry by a
sitting high court and take immediate action against all the accused.”
At least 23 tribal youths and a TSR jawan were injured in police
firing and clashes and more than 30 shops were set on fire at Madhavbari
during demonstration of tribal-based regional parties demanding
withdrawal of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on January 8.
“Life is slowly limping back to normalcy but the curfew will be
relaxed only after the law and order situation is reviewed,” SP Ajit
Pratap Singh said, adding that no fresh violence or clash has taken
place.
Chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb reiterated on Saturday that a
magisterial inquiry into the incident of violence in Madhavbari will be
carried out and later the government shall take action as per the
inquiry report
Source: TOI
