Agartala: Three people including an off-duty policeman were assaulted in broad daylight in Agartala's Abhoynagar and Bordowali areas on Thursday while they were on their way to vote in the ongoing Tripura bypolls. The assault came hours after a journalist was allegedly thrashed by BJP workers in the Bordowali constituency for attempting to record alleged poll rigging.
The cop Samir Saha said he was on way to vote with his family when "BJP goons stopped me from moving towards the polling station”. “They said I did not have to vote and should return home instead. When I protested against the same, I was first attacked with a knife and later stabbed in my stomach. The goons tried to attack my nephew and wife as well," he said.
"I am sure that BJP workers are responsible for this. They have been engaging in violence since last night," said Saha, while receiving medical attention in Agartala's GB Pant Hospital. Since Thursday morning, reports of intimidation of voters allegedly by BJP-backed miscreants have been coming from different places. In Bordowali assembly constituency, a local Jaydeep Pal and his father were brutally thrashed by miscreants while they were on their way to booth number 53 at the Netaji Subhas Vidyaniketan.
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"The goons said we could not go to vote. When I asked why and protested against their threats, they started beating us," said Pal, who was beaten along with his father. The two sustained injuries and their clothes were torn in the attack. Pal also raised questions about the safety and security of voters. Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha is contesting from Town Bordowali.
Earlier, jkournalist Subham Debnath was brutally assaulted near a polling station in Bordowali when he tried to capture alleged rigging by miscreants. "Miscreants were not allowing people to vote. When I tried to capture that on camera, I was immediately attacked by around 20-30 people. It was terrorizing. They snatched my phone, press card, and vandalized my motorcycle," said Debnath.
