At least eight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists were injured following a violent clash with alleged supporters of Tipra Motha at Bubhiram Chowdhury Para in the Nalchar Assembly constituency of Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Sunday.
The incident occurred when BJP workers had gathered to inspect a party booth office that had been set on fire the previous night. Tensions escalated shortly after a visit by state Minister Kishor Barman, who had reached the spot earlier in the day to assess the damage and instructed party workers to rebuild the temporary structure.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of armed miscreants attacked BJP members soon after the Minister’s convoy left the area. The sudden assault led to chaos, leaving several workers injured. Sources said some of the victims were initially treated at nearby healthcare facilities, while those with serious injuries, including fractures and head trauma, were referred to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala for advanced treatment.
Among the injured was a local ST Morcha leader who reportedly suffered a broken arm during the attack. The condition of some of the injured is said to be serious but stable.
After visiting the injured at the hospital, Minister Kishor Barman strongly condemned the incident and blamed political rivals for the violence. He alleged that individuals previously associated with unrest during the CPI(M) regime had now aligned with Tipra Motha to continue a “cycle of political violence” in the state.
The Minister also criticized the local Tipra Motha leadership, claiming a lack of accountability and visibility in the constituency after the elections. He accused them of failing to ensure development and maintain peace in the region.
Barman further raised concerns over the functioning of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), alleging a lack of transparency in the utilization of government funds. He claimed that despite significant financial allocations by the state government, there was little visible development in the council areas.
“The leaders of Tipra Motha speak on various issues but remain silent on financial accountability. Even proper auditing is not being allowed in the TTAADC administration, which is unacceptable,” he said.
The Minister challenged the Tipra Motha leadership to publicly disclose details of expenditure and development works carried out under the council, asserting that transparency is essential for public trust.
The incident has further intensified political tensions in the region ahead of the upcoming electoral contest.
