Our Bureau
AGARTALA, November 21 2020: Tripura State Rifles (TSR) troops resorted to firing on the crowds that blocked Assam Agartala national highway Saturday to protest state government’s move to rehabilitate a portion of Mizoram Bru refugees in Kanchanpur. The incident took place at Chamtilla, near Holy Cross School, in Panisagar where thousands of protestors from Kanchanpur assembled to block Assam Agartala national highway.
One person was killed and two injured in the firing aimed at dispersing mob from the highway. 23 people including 15 policemen and fire service personnel were injured.
They have been shifted to two hospitals in the district.
Police officials said security men opened fire in self defence, but leaders of Joint Movement Committee (JMC) that spearheaded protests said the firing was unproved. They claimed deceased Srikanta Das, 45, received bullets in his chest resulting in his death at the scene.
The mob allegedly attacked an employee of fire service and injured him. He later succumbed to his injuries.
The state government announce cash compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to bereaved families.
The crowds have not left the Champtilla, a road junction, till writing of this report.
Earlier JMC enforced the indefinite strike against a decision to rehabilitate 5000 evacuees in Kanchanpur. Non tribal groups shook hands with local Mizo population to spearhead the agitation.
35,000 Bru or Reang refugees are housed in six makeshift camps in Kanchanpur since 1997 after influx started amid ethnic tension in neighbouring Mizoram.
Long stalemate amid failures of several repatriation attempts finally ended up with signing of a quadripartite agreement at New Delhi.
“A critical issue of the north-east has been settled with the help of the Tripura and Mizoram governments”, Union home minister Amit Shah had said after signing of the accord.
MHA will bear whole expenditure towards settlement of the evacuees and other benefits assured in the agreement. Each refugee family would get a plot of land, rations, fixed deposit of 4 lakh and a monthly stipend of 5000 for two years.
In addition they will also be provided 1.5 lakh each to construct houses. The agreement debars refugees from claiming rights in Mizoram and made them citizens of Tripura.
Tripura government has selected 12 places for rehabilitation of the refugees. One of the places falls in Kanchanpur - scene of current protest.
Protesting JMC argues that local residents have had suffered immensely from economic engagements to land rights to law & order problem during years of stay of the refugees in the area. Hence they are demanding their settlement beyond Kanchanpur.
State government sources said different places selected for rehabilitation of the refugees and if Kanchanpur is taken out then similar protest would erupt elsewhere thus will create a mess in the whole process.