Attack attempt on Cong candidate; ruling IPFT supporter held

Police arrested a supporter of the ruling IPFT on the charge of trying to attack the convoy of Congress' Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Dev Burman in Khowai district of Tripura on Thursday.

The accused supporter of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) allegedly tried to throw brickbats at the convoy of the candidate but he was captured by the security guards escorting her car, Deputy Inspector General of Police Arindam Nath said.

The incident took place while Pragya Dev Burman, sister of state Congress president Pradyot Dev Burman, was on her way back from a rally at Tulashikhar, a tribal hamlet in Khowai district, around 65 km from here.

Pragya Dev Burman is the Congress candidate for East Tripura (ST) constituency which will go to polls on April 23.

"We were returning after attending a public meeting at Tulashikhar area. An IPFT supporter tried to hurl a stone at my car. It seems there were more people with him," Pragya told reporters.

She claimed that the support she is getting from people might have irked the IPFT.

"The IPFT is giving alcohol to its supporters and asking them to attack opposition party workers. I have heard that the accused person also tried to attack other opposition party leaders," the Congress candidate said.

Denying the allegation, IPFT spokesperson Mangal Debbarma said the arrested supporter was there by co-incidence and neither he nor the party was involved in the attack.

"Very sad to see that my sister Pragya was attacked by paid goons in Tulashikhar. One person was arrested. I have no words to condemn it," the state Congress chief said.

BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya denounced the incident saying "any attempt of attack is condemnable".

The Election Commission had on Tuesday announced postponement of polling in the East Tripura seat to the third phase on April 23 from April 18, saying the prevailing law and order situation there is not conducive for holding free and fair polls.

Tripura has two Lok Sabha seats. Elections for the first phase were held in West Tripura seat on April 11, and the Congress and CPI (M) demanded re-poll in 460 polling stations on the ground of alleged rigging by the ruling BJP.

The BJP-IPFT combine ousted the CPI(M)-led Left Front from power after 25 years in early 2018.