Tripura CM tough against police and criminals

Agartala, Mar 25: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is talking tough to both police and criminals, as he warned the former against going beyond legal limits and becoming a credible facilitator to the progress of the society. Replying to a call attention motion on the concluding day of the newly-formed Assembly here yesterday, Mr Sarkar admitted that the state had witnessed sporadic violence, following declaration of Assembly election results and thanked the Election Commission for taking adequate security measures in conducting elections.

He said that as many as 123 persons, including 65 CPI(M) and 57 Congress workers had been arrested in 88 complaints of post-poll violence in Tripura between March 7 and 16 last and stated, ''The 13-day period between February 23 and March 7 was on the whole peaceful, though four cases of violence were registered and in one incident, a Congress supporter's house was allegedly set ablaze by CPI(M) activists.'' Mr Sarkar, however, informed the House that 30 cases had been filed by the CPI(M), 46 by the Congress and eight by the INPT, while political clashes left 40 CPI(M) supporters, 32 Congress activists and eight INPT supporters injured.

''Police have filed charge sheets in eight cases, while the remaining complaints are under investigation,'' Sarkar said and added that no murder or rape cases had been reported but police are closely monitoring the situation to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

Meanwhile, referring to allegations of police atrocities during the post-election days against Opposition party workers, the Chief Minister attributed the government had made its stand clear that the police was meant to protect the law and safeguard the people but if they caued any kind of inconvenience to the public, it would be dealt with seriously.

Lone legislator of tribal-based Opposition party INPT Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl alleged that at least 71 tribal families had been driven out of their homes, their menfolk beaten up, women stripped and belongings looted by the ruling party activists in a remote part of Dhalai district.

UNI