Mob Fury After Fatal Crash: Bharat Stone Crusher Attacked, Looted; Losses Mounting in Lakhs
Tripura, 22 April 2025: A tragic road accident led to a shocking incident of vandalism and looting at the Bharat Stone Crusher site in North Tripura. The unfortunate episode unfolded on Saturday evening after a fatal accident involving a local youth near the crusher premises triggered unrest among locals. According to reports, 26-year-old Nirmal Das was returning from a local fair held in the Uptakhali-Sylheti Camp area when his speeding bike rammed into the rear of a parked dumper truck near Bharat Stone Crusher. The collision was so severe that Das was flung onto the national highway and found lying in a pool of blood.
He was rushed to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. The incident sent a wave of grief throughout the community. However, tensions escalated later that night. A group of agitated youths and middle-aged men, suspecting the dumper truck to be owned by the crusher authorities, launched an unprovoked and violent attack on the crusher site.
They physically assaulted the crusher owner Gopal Chandra Dev and employee Chayon Deshmukh, the latter of whom sustained critical injuries. Deshmukh was first taken to Dharmanagar District Hospital and later shifted out of state for advanced treatment, where he is currently undergoing multiple surgeries to his nose, head, and bones and remains in critical condition. The attackers also vandalized the crusher office, smashing property and looting an alleged Rs 5.22 lakh in cash. Not stopping there, they returned the next day to further damage the premises. CCTV cameras, ceiling fans, office furniture, and even LPG cylinders were destroyed or stolen. Eight to ten dumper trucks were also vandalized during the rampage.
Crusher owner Gopal Chandra Dev estimates the total loss to be nearly Rs 20 lakh. Additionally, important billing records related to stone supply contracts were looted, causing further financial damage to the business. In response, the crusher authorities have filed a written complaint at the Panisagar police station, naming the alleged miscreants.
Security has since been tightened in the area, with both police and TSR personnel deployed. Authorities and locals alike remain puzzled as to how a traffic accident on the road could justify such a targeted attack on a private industrial establishment. All eyes are now on the police investigation to see what legal action follows in the wake of this disturbing series of events.
