Agartala: Sept 24: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today gave police a 12-hour ultimatum to arrest those allegedly involved in the assault of a worker’s father and threats against its members and their families, warning of statewide agitation if action is not taken.
ABVP activists staged a protest and road blockade outside the Dharmanagar DM office around 12.30 pm, raising slogans against former Tripura State Commission for Women chairperson Barnali Goswami and local MLA Jahar Chakraborty. They also burnt an effigy of Goswami.
ABVP Tripura Pradesh joint secretary Anupam Sen said the protest followed a September 22 incident at Dharmanagar Government Degree College, where Goswami visited and ABVP members raised “go back” slogans against her. According to ABVP, the dispute was linked to a blood donation camp organised by the organisation, in which more than 70 students participated. The organisation alleged that Goswami later attempted to interfere in ABVP, NSS and NCC activities and threatened its members.
ABVP further alleged that the father of one of its workers was taken from his home late at night and assaulted after the protest. It claimed that he suffered fractures to both hands and legs and was referred from Dharmanagar Hospital to GBP Hospital in Agartala.
The organisation also alleged that its workers and family members received threatening phone calls. It demanded immediate arrests and punishment of those allegedly involved.
The protest continued for around two hours. A female student reportedly fell ill and was taken to the district hospital by Fire and Emergency Services personnel. Traffic congestion occurred during the blockade, but police intervention prevented major inconvenience to commuters.
Police officials assured the protesters that action would be taken according to law based on their complaint. ABVP warned that failure to act within 12 hours would lead to intensified agitation across the state.
