Tripura shutdown cripples life in tribal areas

AGARTALA: A 12-hour shutdown, called by six tribal parties in the tribal areas of Tripura to protest police iring earlier this week injuring six youths agitating against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, crippled life, police said.

“Except two minor incidents, the shutdown was peaceful in the entire TTAADC (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council) areas. The bandh supporters attacked a passenger vehicle and a two-wheeler at Bishramganj areas in western Tripura,” Police said.

Most of government and semigovernment as well as private ofices, educational institutions, shops and business establishments were closed due to the strike, the police said.

Banks and inancial institutions were also closed in view of the shutdown, which was also opposed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Communist Party of India-(marxist).

All vehicles, except those of security forces, went off the roads.

The six tribal based parties led by the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) demanded Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s resignation, a judicial probe by a sitting High Court Judge, compensation of Rs 20 lakh or government jobs to the families of the injured youths.

In view of the Saturday’s shutdown, security measures have been intensiied and huge contingents of the Tripura State Riles, Central Reserve Police Force, para-military Assam Riles and Tripura Police have been deployed across TTAADC areas, covering over two-thirds of the state’s 10,491 sq.km area, and home to over 12 lakh people, mostly tribals.