Massive Protest Erupts in Kailashahar’s Birchandranagar After 4-Day Blackout
Tripura, 16 May 2025: Residents of Birchandranagar under Kailashahar Subdivision have been reeling without electricity for the past four days, triggering a major public protest on Friday. Despite repeated attempts to contact Sai Computer Ltd., the private power supply agency responsible for the area, villagers claim their pleas were ignored. The blackout has also led to a complete halt in drinking water supply, worsening the crisis.
Frustrated and helpless, villagers blocked the Kailashahar–Kumarghat road near the Haur Bazar area on Friday afternoon, leading to a massive traffic jam and severe inconvenience for daily commuters. Protesters alleged that officials of Sai Computer Ltd. behaved rudely and unprofessionally when contacted. They also claimed that no one responds to calls made to the company’s office.
The power outage has caused the village water pump to shut down, creating an acute drinking water shortage.
After nearly two hours of road blockade, the protest was withdrawn around 5 PM following assurances from Birchandranagar Panchayat Pradhan Baby Rudra Pal and Deputy Pradhan Sanjay Debroy. Shortly after the protest was called off, technicians from Sai Computer Ltd. reportedly began repair work in the affected areas. However, Birchandranagar isn’t the only area facing such distress.
Villages like Dhanbinash, Bhagyapur, and Pechardahar have also been without power in recent days. Shockingly, even the main town of Kailashahar was plunged into darkness for 24 hours, with the main market operating in total blackout on Thursday, May 15. Sai Computer Ltd. has been managing electricity services in Kailashahar subdivision for the past five years. Since then, the quality of service has steadily declined, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction. Despite several written complaints submitted to the state Power Minister and Chief Minister, no concrete action has been taken against the company so far.
On Thursday night, angry locals reportedly vandalized the Sai Computer Ltd. office in Kailashahar town. The situation escalated further as the Kanika Memorial Primary Health Centre remained without electricity for three consecutive days, forcing doctors to halt treatment and surgeries.
Experts are calling for the state government to take immediate and decisive action against Sai Computer Ltd. before the situation spirals further out of control.
