Tripura students’ body withdraws strike after state govt assures it will step in

The Twipra Students Federation (TSF), an indigenous group from Tripura, has called off the 12-hour strike due to be held today, protesting against the alleged assault on two students by traffic personnel after the Tripura government assured it would look into the matter, TSF advisory board chairman Upendra Debbarma said .

Two students, Angel Reang and Abhijit Debbarma were allegedly beaten up by a traffic policeman on January 13 after their two-wheeler broke down near the Circuit House in Agartala close to which Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s convoy was supposed to pass.

Information and Cultural Affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury held talks with the TSF leaders late on Sunday night assuring them that their demand of registration of a case against the traffic policeman and proper legal action against him would be looked into.

“Registration of a complaint filed by the students who were assaulted, magisterial probe into the incident and treatment for the students are our demands. After our discussion with the ICA minister, our case was lodged late at night. We have also been assured that cases against the students will be withdrawn. After getting these assurances, we have called off our strike,” Upendra Debbarma told reporters adding that they would wait for 3-4 days to see whether their demands were met, failing which they would go ahead with their agitation.

Soon after the incident, different students’ organizations including the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Left students’ bodies protested against the assault on students and demanded prompt action against the traffic police.

Tripura Police have registered a case based on the complaint filed by the traffic police unit against the two students under Section 253 of Indian Penal Code. Later, they also began probing the incident under the supervision of deputy superintendent of police (Traffic) Koyal Debbarma. The traffic constable, accused of assaulting the students, has been removed from field duty till completion of the inquiry.