Tripura's Tipra Motha Party Supporter Dies During Clash At Counting Centre

A Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supporter died after he was critically injured during a clash outside a counting centre in Tripura's Khowai district on Monday. Political tensions later escalated at a counting centre in Sepahijala, where an Inspector General of Police's vehicle was allegedly attacked.

The victim was identified as Motilal Karmakar, who was injured during the dispersal of a gathering outside the counting centre.

Security personnel resorted to a lathi-charge after the situation turned tense, with reports that people had attempted to move past barricades.

Karmakar reportedly fell and suffered a serious injury while trying to escape the baton charge. He was taken to Khowai District Hospital and later shifted towards Agartala Government Medical College and GBP Hospital, but died on the way. A security personnel member was also injured there. 

While Motha leaders alleged that he was injured in the BSF baton charge, police claimed that while escaping during the baton charge, he had fallen and hit himself.

The exact circumstances leading to Karmakar's injury and death, including the sequence of events during the police action, were not clear.

Later, tension rose at Thalibari under Jatrapur police station in Sepahijala district, where opposition parties and the ruling NDA ally BJP alleged that their authorised counting agents were prevented from entering the counting centre. BJP, CPI(M) and Congress leaders were reportedly present at the spot and raised objections to Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma over the alleged obstruction.

The situation intensified when Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Manchak Ippar was returning from the counting centre. His vehicle was allegedly attacked, with its windshield reportedly damaged. The senior police officer escaped unhurt.

The ruling BJP's tribal-based ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) swept a majority of the Village Committee seats in Tripura's tribal areas, for which elections were held on September 28. According to officials of the Tripura State Election Commission (TSEC), of the 4,594 seats in 587 Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), results were declared for 4,078 seats till Monday night. Of the 4,078 seats declared, TMP won 3,177 seats, while the BJP bagged 668 seats. Their other tribal-based ally, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), secured 20 seats.

The opposition CPI (M) bagged 60 seats, the Congress secured 10 seats, while Independents won 143 seats.