At least 40 BJP workers on their way to attend party national president J P Nadda's rally at Khumulwng in West Tripura district on Monday have been injured after being attacked by "miscreants", police said.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that of the injured party workers, 25 have been hospitalised and the condition of one is critical. He vowed strict action against the culprits. Nadda's rally marked the beginning of the party's campaign for upcoming village committee (gram panchayat) polls this year and assembly elections next year.
"Forty BJP workers have been injured in seven incidents of attacks in West Tripura and Sepahijala districts. They were on their way to attend J P Nadda's rally at Khumulwng, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC)," Inspector General (law and order) Arindam Nath told PTI on Tuesday.
As many as 19 BJP supporters were attacked at Amarendranagar, barely a few kilometres from Khumulwng, when four buses were attacked by the miscreants, he said. Fifteen of the miscreants have been identified so far, and notices served on them as per the law.
Saha, while condemning the attacks, said such incidents will not be tolerated and directed the police to book all those involved in the attacks.
"Altogether 25 BJP workers, who were on their way to attend the Khumulwng rally, were injured by miscreants and admitted to hospitals. The condition of one injured party worker is critical," Saha said in a Facebook post after visiting the injured party men at GBP Hospital here.
"I strongly condemn the attacks on the BJP workers. I warn those trying to destabilise the peace in the state," he said, adding the government will not tolerate such incidents and the police has been asked to book all those involved in the attacks.
(With PTI Inputs)
