TMC delegation sits on Dharna at Agartala airport after police stops them from visiting vandalism site

Political tensions in Tripura reached a dramatic new high on Wednesday morning when a high-profile Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation was forcefully obstructed by police upon their arrival at Agartala airport, preventing them from visiting the site of the recent office vandalism. The five-member team, dispatched from West Bengal to assess the ground situation following the alleged ransacking of their party office, was met with a heavy police deployment. This immediate blockade led to heated arguments between the party leaders and the police, culminating in a protest sit-in staged right outside the airport premises.

The delegation, comprising senior leaders like Kunal Ghosh, Saayoni Ghosh, Pratima Mondal, Sudip Raha, Susmita Dev, and Birbaha Hansda, alleged that the police were preventing them from exercising their democratic right to travel freely and were specifically blocking them from booking auto-rickshaws or prepaid taxis. Police officials reportedly cited concerns over maintaining law and order as the primary reason for restricting the delegation's movement, effectively confining them to the airport area and preventing their planned visit to the vandalized AITC office.

In a strong display of protest against the police action, the entire delegation immediately staged a sit-in demonstration right outside the terminal. Trinamool leader Saayoni Ghosh passionately asserted the party's unwavering commitment to their local unit, stating, “We cannot be silenced like this. We were, are, and will remain beside our workers in Tripura,” underscoring the delegation’s determination to reach their colleagues despite the official obstruction.

The root of the current controversy lies in the alleged vandalism of the Trinamool Congress office in Agartala on Tuesday. Miscreants, whom the TMC directly blames as 'BJP-backed goons,' reportedly attacked the office with sticks, tearing down party flags and flex banners and leaving them scattered in a clear act of political intimidation. The TMC maintains that this attack was carried out even as police personnel were present, alleging that the situation remained largely uncontrolled.

Furthermore, upon reaching Agartala, the delegation also reported that they spoke to the local police about continuous harassment faced by their local supporters. They alleged that BJP-backed miscreants were pressuring and threatening local vendors and other sympathetic individuals not to cooperate with the visiting team. This, the delegation claimed, was further proof of a pattern of political intimidation occurring openly and "in front of police officials," echoing the allegations surrounding the previous day’s vandalism.