Bid to block Manik Sarkar's convoy in Tripura

A group of "unidentified miscreants" had blocked the highway in Tripura's Dhalai district to stop Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Manik Sarkar from attending a party meet, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

The protestors, around 20 in number, raised slogans against Sarkar on Tuesday on National Highway-8 in the district, asking him to "go back", he said.

"The miscreants, who had lifted the highway blockade after police intervention, gathered outside the CPI(M) office at district headquarters Ambassa later in the day to lodge their protest," Superintendent of Police Sudipta Das said.

Sarkar was convening a meeting of party workers at Ambassa, he said.

The reason behind the protest wasn't clear as yet, but it seems the agitators did not have any political affiliation, Das said, adding that the group dispersed as soon as the police arrived.

Condemning Tuesday's incident, the CPI(M), in a statement, termed it as "an attack on the democratic rights of people".