Tripura police says villager died in encounter

Agartala, Jan 7 (UNI) A villager died and another reportedly went missing in violence in the forest area of tribal-dominated Sarbangcherra of West Tripura today, while a violent mob set a local CPI(M) leader's house on fire soon after.

Police said the deceased was most likely injured in a crossfire when they retaliated after a group of extremists attacked them.

However, the villagers alleged that Tripura State Rifle (TSR) jawans had opened unprovoked fire on the tribal population, who had gone to the jungle for gathering firewood and other forest produces.

''One of us sustained serious bullet injury and later succumbed in Agartala Government Medical College and another is still missing,'' alleged one of the villagers and added that suddenly TSR started firing on them without any provocation.

However, police officials have denied the allegation and stated that TSR was challenged by a group of armed people and the slain villager had received the injury in a crossfire but no missing report had been made so far.

Shortly after the incident, a violent mob set ablaze the house of vice-chairman of the local panchayat, alleging that the police fired at the villagers under his directions.

UNI BB LL SP RS1640