AGARTALA, Sept 16: At least five supporters of Left student and youth organizations were injured as security forces resorted to lathicharge when they tried to to break barricades near the Civil secretariat here as part of their ‘Mahakaran abhiyan’ demonstration on Thursday, police said.
One CRPF jawan also sustained injuries as the agitators pelted stones.
Hundreds of supporters of DYFI, SFI, TSU and TYF, all frontal wings of CPI(M) were approaching the Civil Secretariat to give deputation to chief minister Manik Saha on nine-point charter of demands.
The agitators broke two barricades erected by police to reach the civil secretariat but the security forces prevented them from crossing the third barricade leading to violent scuffle with police and CRPF jawans.
“To disperse the agitators, police had to resort to lathicharge and used water canon near Circuit House, barely one km away from the Civil Secretariat that resulted in injuries of five activists,” a senior police officer told PTI.
No FIR has been lodged with the police regarding the incident, he said, adding that the situation is under control.
However, DYFI state secretary Nabarun Deb claimed altogether 19 activists were injured as the police lathicharged the protesters. “Police also used water canon and tear gas shells randomly on the agitators who were demonstrating in a peaceful manner,” he said.
Deb further said the four student and youth organisations – DYFI, SFI, TSU and TYF had sought to meet the chief minister on nine-point charter of demands including employment and providing teachers to all schools but the CMO office has declined.
Meanwhile, CPI (M) state secretary Jitendra Choudhary, who led an agitation in Santir Bazar in South Tripura district, lashed out at the BJP-IPFT government for “failing” to implement the vision document unveiled by the BJP before the 2018 Assembly elections.
“The days of BJP are countable in Tripura because of its anti-people and anti democratic moves during the past four and half years. They had promised to provide 50,000 jobs in the first year and also assured to ensure 200 days job for all the workers under MGNREGA. With only five to six months to go for the next Assembly elections, the BJP-IPFT government is unlikely to fulfil its promises”, he said. (PTI)
