Tripura police deny permission for Tipra Motha-linked rally in Agartala

The Tripura Police on Sunday denied permission to the Youth Front of the Tipra Motha to hold a “massive” rally in Agartala scheduled for November 7. The Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), which had been preparing for the event as a “show of strength” across the State, has not yet responded to the decision.

In a letter to the YTF, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Sadar (Agartala) stated that half of the venue, Vivekananda Mini Stadium, is currently occupied by an International Expo, and that permitting the rally in the remaining space could result in severe congestion.

The letter further noted that “a situation like a stampede may occur if a mass rally takes place,” with the added risk of damage to property associated with the Expo. The denial of permission, it said, was made in the interest of public safety, particularly to prevent harm to “men, women and children,” and to avoid a “chaotic situation.”

Sources said intelligence inputs from multiple agencies and on-ground assessments by the State police prompted senior officials to take the decision. Recent incidents of violence in Takarjala, Jampuijala, Sidhai, Khowai, and Santirbazar, allegedly involving Tipra Motha supporters, were also reviewed at the highest levels of government before the order was issued.

Former Minister and Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman had earlier urged the State government to deny permission for the rally, citing tensions in certain areas and the Tipra Motha’s “contentious demands” which, he said, were “harming harmony in society.”