450 INPT supporters held for blockade on roads, railway tracks

Tripura Police on Monday arrested 450 picketers of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), after it blocked stretches of NH-8 and railway tracks, as part of a 12-hour strike to press for scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

West Tripura SP Ajit Pratap Singh said there were no reports of any violence and 450 picketers were arrested at 2 pm after the party withdrew the agitation.

Assistant Inspector General Smriti Ranjan Das said a large contingent of Tripura Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel were deployed before the strike commenced at 6 am in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas of West Tripura district.

INPT president Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl said party supporters blocked NH-8 at three places, including Khamtingbari Raipasha and Hezamara. Picketers also disrupted train movement at Bhrigudas Choudhury Para at Jirania.

"We welcome everyone who are opposed to the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The bill is likely to be place on the floor of the Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday)," Hrangkhawl said.

The bill seeks to make migrants of six communities eligible for citizenship of India.

In October, a five member delegation of INPT met members of an inter-ministerial high-power committee formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to study the socio-cultural, linguistic and economic problems of tribes living in Tripura.

The delegation had sought Inner Line Permit and implementation of NRC revision in Tripura to "safeguard identity and interests" of indigenous people.