Tripura civic polls: Flag marches held, no arrest yet in Kamalpur attack

Police in Tripura held road marches through several towns going to the polls on Sunday, but more than 24 hours after five people, including a CPI(M) candidate, were allegedly attacked on their way to file nominations in Kamalpur, nobody had been arrested, Tripura Chronicle reported.

The alleged attack happened in the Dhalai district town on Saturday, October 31, the first day of nominations for the urban local body elections. The CPI(M) has said its candidates were confronted near the bus terminal by a group carrying BJP flags and sticks, that five of its people were hurt, three of them referred to the district hospital at Kulai, and that its candidates could not file their papers. Left Front convener Manik Dey has complained to the State Election Commission. The allegations have not been independently verified.

March through Kamalpur

On Sunday, police, Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and CRPF personnel marched through areas under the Kamalpur Nagar Panchayat. Dhalai Superintendent of Police Rishikesh Desai, Additional SP Uttam Banik and Kamalpur SDPO Sourav Sen joined the march.

Desai said afterwards that the aim was to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections and to create an atmosphere in which every political party could take part in the process without fear. Tripura Chronicle noted that the lack of arrests had raised questions among residents about how much such exercises achieve on the ground.

Teliamura and Khowai too

Teliamura police held a large march along the main roads under the Teliamura Municipal Council, led by Khowai Additional SP Justin Joseph, Teliamura police station officer-in-charge Jayanta Kumar Dey and Inspector Jugal Tripura, with TSR and paramilitary personnel.

In Khowai, where municipal elections have also been announced, district police stepped up security across the town. Patrol teams moved through several key locations in the Khowai Municipal Council area, starting from Office Tilla, to prevent trouble and reassure residents, the report said.

What comes next

Polling for 21 urban local bodies across Tripura is scheduled for November 27, with counting on December 2. The opposition CPI(M) has also alleged that its candidates faced obstruction in other places, including Mohanpur, in its complaint to the election commission.

NEInsider will update this story if police make arrests or the State Election Commission acts on the Left Front's complaint.