Attacks on Cong bike rally in Tripura, several injured

Fifteen leaders and workers were injured after BJP goons attacked them at a bike rally, and they were admitted to GB Pant Hospital here, a Congress member claimed.

Agartala:The Congress has claimed that 15 party workers and functionaries, including AICC general secretary Ajay Kumar, were injured after a group of "BJP-backed goons" allegedly attacked them during a bike rally at four locations in Tripura's Majlishpur constituency. The police, however, said the attacks were carried out by unknown miscreants in West Tripura district, and "10 party workers were injured". The incident took place hours after the announcement of the Tripura assembly poll schedule on Wednesday.

Elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 16 and the counting of votes will take place on March 2. Assistant Inspector General (Law & Order) Jyotishman Das Chowdhury said: A Congress bike rally came under attack by a group of unknown people at four places under the Ranir Bazar police station limits. Ten workers were injured and of them, two were admitted to GB Pant Hospital.

The situation is under control with para-military forces maintaining strict vigil in the trouble-torn areas, he said, adding, no FIR has been lodged with the police yet. Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman appealed to the Election Commission to take note of the violence on Congress workers, and said the party will lodge an FIR soon. Roy Barman also urged Congress and CPI(M) workers to organise political activities to resist such attacks in future. The Congress and the CPI(M) have announced they would contest the assembly elections jointly to defeat the BJP in the northeastern state. (PTI)