Agartala, August 18, 2026: The Supreme Court has granted relief to five villagers from Tepania and Barabhaiya villages in Tripura’s Gomati district in a dispute over alleged encroachment on a public road by the Gomati District Hospital administration.
A Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the State of Tripura and other authorities and stayed the operation of the adverse directions issued against the five villagers by the Tripura High Court.
The villagers had approached the High Court alleging that a recorded public road connecting Tepania and Barabhaiya with the Karimganj-Agartala-Sabroom Road had been obstructed due to alleged encroachment by the district hospital administration.
According to the press release issued by the petitioners’ counsel, the State authorities had initially acknowledged the obstruction as an illegal encroachment and initiated steps for its removal following directions of the High Court.
However, the authorities later placed a different account before the High Court, referring to an alleged agreement between the Rogi Kalyan Samiti and the Panchayat.
Based on the subsequent submissions, the Tripura High Court held that the petitioners had suppressed material facts and committed contempt of court. The court dismissed the PIL and directed that structures removed from the public road be re-erected. It also directed recovery of the reconstruction cost from the petitioners and imposed exemplary costs of Rs 15,000 on each petitioner.
The five villagers subsequently challenged the High Court order before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has now stayed the operation of the adverse findings and consequences arising from the High Court judgment while considering the villagers’ challenge. The apex court has also issued notice to the State authorities and other respondents.
The case, Ajay Debnath & Ors. vs State of Tripura & Ors., is registered as SLP (C) Diary No. 37288/2026. The Supreme Court order was passed on August 17, 2026, and the matter is next scheduled to be taken up on September 18, 2026.
The case was argued before the Supreme Court by Agartala-based advocate Nilotpal Datta.
