Agartala, 9th June 2026: Chandan Sarkar, a man in his fifties from the Konaban Harihardola border area under Madhupur Police Station in Sepahijala district, has been arrested for allegedly raping a specially-abled teenage girl multiple times.
Police sources informed that, Sarkar lured the minor girl from the same locality and sexually assaulted her on several occasions. The latest incident took place just two days before his arrest, when the girl’s father reportedly caught him in the act.
Local political functionaries allegedly attempted to suppress the matter and pressured the victim’s family to reach a compromise. A secret settlement meeting was reportedly held, during which a ‘Mandal’ member offered the girl’s family Rs 10,000 as part of the hush-up effort.
The case came to light on Tuesday morning when information reached Tripura Director General of Police, who immediately directed Sepahijala District Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma to take prompt action. On Tuesday afternoon, a police team comprising the Additional SP of Sepahijala district, the Officer-in-Charge of Madhupur Police Station, personnel from Bishalgarh Women’s Police Station, and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel reached Harihardola market.
Upon spotting the police, Sarkar allegedly jumped into a nearby pond in an attempt to evade arrest. He was subsequently detained and taken to the police station.
Officials from the Bishalgarh administration and Sepahijala district Childline also reached the spot. Childline personnel took the victim and her mother to their office for support and medical procedures.
Speaking to the media, the Additional SP confirmed that a rape case has been registered and an investigation is underway.
Sarkar is reportedly known in the area as a trafficker with a history of mistreating women. It is alleged that his first wife died by suicide due to his harassment, and he was later forced to marry a local woman after being caught in an illicit relationship with her.
The accused’s wife is said to be a secretary in the ruling party’s women’s wing (Mahila Morcha). The victim’s family allegedly faced repeated pressure and threats from local leaders to settle the matter, with the influence of the Mandal member and his wife being leveraged.
There is strong demand from local residents for strict punishment for the accused. The community is closely watching whether political connections will affect the course of justice in the case of the rape of a specially-abled minor.
Further investigation is ongoing.
