'Take grievances to police, not violence': Former Tripura CM Manik Sarkar on attack on BSF personnel

Former Tripura Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar has condemned the alleged assault on Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in Sonamura subdivision on November 2, describing the incident as a matter of concern and calling for a thorough investigation by the BSF and police to establish the facts.

Reacting to the incident, Sarkar said that, according to the information available to him, the confrontation began when BSF personnel allegedly attempted to stop an individual suspected of involvement in illegal cross-border transactions. The individual was reportedly assaulted and sustained injuries, triggering tension among local residents.

Following the incident, a group of residents allegedly organised a protest and blocked the road. During the unrest, two other BSF personnel travelling through the area in a separate vehicle were reportedly intercepted and assaulted. Sarkar said the two personnel were unaware of the earlier incident and sustained serious injuries.

Condemning the attack, the former chief minister said that any grievance against BSF personnel should have been addressed through legal channels rather than through violence.

"If any BSF personnel had committed wrongdoing, the aggrieved individuals should have approached the nearest police station and lodged a formal complaint instead of taking the law into their own hands," Sarkar said.

He also expressed concern over the arrests made in connection with the incident, stating that around 10 people, including two or three women, had reportedly been arrested. The accused were said to be in police custody for four days.

Sarkar expressed hope that the police and BSF would jointly conduct a thorough investigation to determine the sequence of events and establish the circumstances that led to the confrontation.