Agartala, Oct 17: Tripura High Court on Tuesday directed the
state government to ensure that the social boycott imposed
on two indigenous families in Unakoti district by kangaroo
courts is removed.
Daily wager Purnajoy Chakama and auto rickshaw driver
Tarun Chakma, both residents of Paschim Andarpara in
Unakoti district, had converted to Christianity from Buddhism
on November 22, 2022 on their will, officials said.
Soon after, two illegal customary law courts, the Chakma
Samajik Bichar Committee and Adam panchayat, issued a
diktat asking members of the community to socially boycott
the families, they said.
For the past one year, the families had to face difficulties as
villagers were asked not to help them in any way, they
added.
“While Purnajoy was barred from getting a job, the village
headmen instructed people not to board Tarun’s auto.
Finding no alternative, the duo filed two writ petitions before
the high court,” advocate Samrat Kar Bhowmik told
reporters.
“After hearing the case and taking into consideration the
ordeal of the two families, Justice Arindam Lodh asked the
administration to remove all the barriers of social boycott
imposed on them,” he said.
Kar Bhowmik said police have been asked to take stern legal
action against those who were running the illegal customary
law courts.
The single bench also issued separate notices to the
customary law courts to explain why they passed such an
illegal order which is detrimental against the fundamental
rights, he said. PTI
