One dead, several injured in police firing in Tripura

One person was killed after police resorted to firing and lathi-charge as a protest against rehabilitation of Bru refugees turned violent in Tripura on Saturday. Protesters set vehicles on fire and blocked National Highway 8 which connects Assam.

Agartala:At least one person died and several others injured after police resorted to firing to disperse a group of protesters opposing the State government's move to rehabilitate Bru-Reang refugees from Mizoram into the state.

Police said that the incident took place at Panisagar subdivision in Tripura's North district on Saturday when a group of people took to the streets opposing the state and Central government's move to rehabilitate the Bru refugees from Mizoram.

As per the agreement signed between the Central and state government in January this year, over 5,000 Bru refugees will be rehabilitated in Kanchanpur and Panisagar subdivisions in Tripura. Locals opposed that rehabilitation of such huge number of Bru refugees will affect the local people and their livelihood.

The locals had already called a general strike in the area since last Monday opposing the government's decision. "On Saturday, hundreds of people came out to the streets and blocked the National Highway number 8 which connects Assam," police said adding that they had to use force to disperse the agitators.

"As the police force arrived the National Highway to clear the blockade, the agitators turned berserk and they started pelting stones to the security forces. The police first tried to disperse the mob by lathi charge but resorted to firing finally," a senior district police officer said while adding that one 45-year old agitators died during the firing while five others received severe injuries. The agitators had also set on fire several vehicles.

Over 40,000 Brus had fled their homes in Mizoram in 1997 in the wake of inter-community riots. Ever since then, they have been living in seven relief camps in Tripura.

Despite several repatriation processes, only around 5,000 of them returned to Mizoram. As per the quadripartite agreement, signed among Centre, Bru leaders and Tripura and Mizoram governments, the displaced people will be rehabilitated in Tripura.