Agartala, 12th July 2026: Tension escalated in the Tilabazar area of Kailashahar in Tripura’s Unakoti district on Sunday after allegations that ongoing embankment repair work along the Manu River near the India-Bangladesh international border was obstructed. The repair project was launched on an emergency basis to protect nearly 12 villages from potential flooding.
According to local sources, several parts of Tripura, including Unakoti district, were severely affected by recent heavy rainfall. Although the water level of the Manu River has receded following a decline in rainfall, a nearly 300-metre stretch of embankment in the Lathiapura Gram Panchayat area near the International Zero Point has been damaged. A Border Security Force (BSF) camp is also located close to the affected site. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the district administration and the Flood Control Department initiated urgent restoration work.
Contractor Abdul Mannan alleged that the repair work, which began on Friday under the directions of the Flood Control Department, was disrupted by a group of individuals who reportedly prevented soil-laden trucks from reaching the site during the night. He further claimed that, on the following day, 19 trucks carrying boulders were dispatched as per administrative instructions but were stopped for several hours and eventually forced to return without unloading the materials.
Mannan also alleged that the incidents occurred in the presence of police officials and accused government advocate Sandeep Deb Roy of playing a role in the obstruction. He argued that while construction activities in international border areas must strictly follow prescribed regulations, the presence of a government advocate and the holding of a press conference at the sensitive location could create unnecessary complications concerning border-related issues.
Warning of the consequences of further delays, the contractor said that failure to complete the embankment repairs promptly could leave at least 12 villages in Kailashahar vulnerable to another round of flooding.
In protest against the alleged obstruction, local residents and contractors staged a road blockade at Tilabazar on Sunday. The protesters demanded the immediate resumption of the embankment repair work and called for legal action against those accused of hindering the project.
The incident has also raised questions over the role of the administration in handling the situation. Residents of the border region remain concerned about when the crucial embankment restoration work will resume, as they fear renewed flooding if the damaged embankment is not repaired without delay.
