Agartala, June 22 (Northeast Press):
The deteriorating law and order situation in Tripura has once again come under sharp scrutiny after three government-registered contractors from Khayerpur publicly appealed to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha for protection from alleged extortion and life threats by local ‘Mandal’ leaders affiliated with the ruling party.
The contractors — Biswajit Sarkar, Bikram Ghosh, and Abhishek Kar — revealed to media persons that they were recently awarded four out of five e-tenders they had submitted. However, instead of being able to carry out their legitimate work, they have become targets of violence and threats.
According to their account, on June 19, Khayerpur BJP ‘Mandal’ leaders Apurba Bhowmik and Rocky Dhar summoned the trio to a guest house. Upon arrival, they were reportedly ambushed and brutally assaulted by the two leaders and six to seven of their associates. The contractors were given an ultimatum: either pay a hefty sum upfront or withdraw from their allotted tenders.
Fearing for their lives, the contractors promised to withdraw and managed to escape further harm. They immediately reported the incident to the Khayerpur police outpost. However, no official complaint was registered, and the police allegedly took no action.
The three then approached Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Subrata Barman and Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Kumar with a written complaint. They also attempted to contact the local MLA Ratan Chakraborty, and though they managed to inform him of the situation over the phone, no concrete steps were taken thereafter.
“We are all BJP supporters. I myself was a Prishtha Pramukh before the 2018 elections,” said Biswajit Sarkar, while addressing the media. “But today, we are running for our lives. Is this what governance means now?”
All three contractors expressed grave concern for their safety and made a desperate appeal to the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure justice.
“We want to work with dignity, not under the fear of death,” said Abhishek Kar.
This incident adds to growing concerns about political patronage, unchecked local-level muscle power, and the apparent inaction of law enforcement agencies in Tripura. The contractors’ heartfelt appeal highlights the urgent need for the state government to act swiftly and restore faith in administrative and legal mechanisms.
As the matter gains traction, public pressure is mounting on the state leadership to take strict action against those involved and ensure protection for whistleblowers and citizens simply trying to carry out their legal work.
