AGARTALA, Aug 25 (TIWN): When the entire Agartala city is left paralysed after IPFT has conducted severe massacre in the city on August 23 during their rally, CM Manik Sarkar is yet silent into the issue. He is yet to open his mouth into the case. IPFT’s massacre have brought forward the ineptness and failure of Manik‘s administration in controlling the violence in the city. Section 144 was imposed in Agartala after several people were injured in clashes between supporters and activists of Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and local residents in different parts of the city.A group of people from the procession of IPFT attacked some persons at the heart of the town at Kaman Chowmuhai and ransacked some shops and set fire to some vehicles, apparently without provocation. This incident resulted in clashes and at least 17 people including women were injured. The Indigenous Peoples Front of Twipra (IPFT) today resorted to violence and arson while taking out a procession here to commemorate autonomous district council (ADC) Day, resulting in injury to more than 40 people.

The procession of IPFT cadres, who were armed with weapons like clubs and spears, started moving through the town at 1.45pm but trouble started at 2.20pm when the unruly cadres attacked a woman and her child in Surya Chowmuhuni locality for trying to cross the road through a gap in the procession. Both sustained serious injuries and had to be hospitalised.

Trouble escalated as non-tribal people, including youths and shopkeepers, retaliated. A group of non-tribal youths severely beat up four tribal youths in the procession in front of Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan. The IPFT cadres then went on the rampage, attacking businessmen, pedestrians and roadside shopkeepers. Police sources said at least two police jeeps, 20 motorbikes, two Scooties and two private cars were burnt in the violence.

On two earlier occasions, including last year, IPFT cadres, out to commemorate ADC Day, had created trouble by beating up people. Yet, the police took no preventive measures this time. The ADC Day is commemorated on August 23 as it was on this date in 1984 that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had amended the Constitution to extend the provisions of Sixth Schedule to Tripura ADC.

A large number of tribal supporters and workers of IPFT, who had come for the procession and subsequent meeting at Swami Vivekananda stadium, remained stranded there under security cover provided by Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and Assam Rifles jawans.

A large number of non-tribal youths, tense by the IPFT attacks, stood around the stadium to attack unruly IPFT workers but they were dispersed by security personnel.