Agartala, September 15 (TIWN): Local residents of Kathaltali in Assam crossed the Tripura-Assam boundary and stalled vehicular movement on the National Highway 44 at Churaibari for three hours today.

The agitators sought proper investigation and action on the murder of Md. Amirul Islam while travelling from Kathaltali in Assam to Premtali of Tripura. Amirul, alongwith two other friends, were killed by goons led by few new local leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The NH 44 was stalled by a large group of local residents of Kathaltali who blockaded the NH 44 from 12 noon today. The blockade continued for nearly three hours till District Collector and Magistrate (DCM) and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Dharmanagar) later intervened and assured proper action within stipulated timeframe following which the agitators lifted the blockade.

The agitators demanded to arrest everybody involved with the crime within 24 hours.

Officer-in-Charge of Churaibari police station later launched a search operation and booked Jamal Uddin and Anwar Hossain, known to have been involved with the attack on Amirul. Md. Mortajauddin Choudhury, a local leader of BJP who recently defected from Trinamool Congress, Jasim Uddin, Khairul Hossain, Jabir Hossain, Kabir Hossain and others were absconding, investigating officer and Sub-Inspector at Churaibari police station Manoj Chanda said.

Officials of the state police said that search operations were started in bordering areas with Bangladesh and Assam to nab the absconding criminals.