Tripura polls: Tipra Motha candidate shot, 2 others hurt in Gomati

A Tipra Motha Party candidate, Khachindra Reang, and two others were injured in an alleged firing incident in Tripura's Gomati district. The violence occurred during the TTAADC Village Committee elections, leading to protests and increased security.

A Tipra Motha Party (TMP) candidate was injured in an alleged firing incident in Gomati district while polling was going on for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Village Committee elections, The incident took place at around 2 pm on Monday at Warengbari in the Maharani-Gamaria area under the jurisdiction of R K Pur police station, when the polling process was underway.

Details of the Firing Incident

Police said one person sustained a gunshot injury, while two others were also injured. The injured were taken to hospital for treatment.

The injured candidate was identified as Khachindra Reang, who was contesting from Ward No. 2 of the Gamaria Village Committee. According to reports, he sustained a bullet injury after unidentified persons allegedly opened fire as he got down from a vehicle.

Two other persons, identified in reports as Chitrajoy Reang and Uday Ram Reang, were also injured in the incident. The three were subsequently taken for medical treatment, with Khachindra Reang later being referred to GBP Hospital in Agartala.

The incident triggered tension in the area, with supporters and local residents reportedly staging protests and blocking roads while demanding action against those responsible. Additional security personnel were deployed in the affected areas.

Political Reactions and Allegations

Tipra Motha leaders alleged that BJP-linked persons were behind the firing. However, the allegations have not been independently established, and police are investigating the incident and working to identify those responsible.

Takarjala MLA Bishwajit Kalai, who visited the injured at GBP Hospital, condemned the firing and called for strict action against whoever was responsible. "If politics is done with guns, then in the future, I think very dangerous days will come. Whoever's party it may be, they should be punished. And today it could be BJP, it could be Motha, it could be any party. And whoever the party is, they shouldn't have been roaming around with a gun like this. They should be punished as soon as possible," Kalai said.

Tipra Motha MDC Suraj Debbarma also alleged that people linked to the BJP were involved in the incident and questioned the law-and-order situation in the state. "The law and order situation is completely out of control, and even the police administration has completely failed to handle it," Debbarma said, while alleging that violence has repeatedly marred elections in the state.

BJP Worker Allegedly Assaulted

Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, meanwhile, spoke about a separate incident in which a BJP worker was allegedly assaulted following the polling process. He said the injured worker was initially taken to a local hospital and later referred to GBP Hospital after his condition deteriorated.

Election Held Amid Sporadic Violence

The firing incident came on the polling day for the TTAADC Village Committee elections, the first such election in a decade. Polling was held across 587 Village Committees, with voting taking place through ballot papers.

The State Election Commission had announced polling for September 28, with counting scheduled for October 5. The elections recorded substantial voter participation, with reports putting turnout at around 79 per cent during the day. The polling was largely peaceful across most areas, although isolated incidents of violence and clashes were reported from Gomati district. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)