By TC News Desk
Agartala, 18th May 2024: In a pre-dawn operation, forest department personnel descended upon Ward No. 3 of Pekuchhara Village, demolishing several tents that housed refugees. The incident has sparked outrage and protest among the displaced families.
Refugees from Kanchanpur, including 83 families from Jayashree, Laljuri, Bara Haldi, Subhash Nagar, and Dasada, sought shelter in Ward No. 3 last Saturday. Their struggle for accommodation escalated as they faced eviction threats from the forest department. Bengali-speaking community leaders and Communist representatives visited the area, advocating for the refugees’ rights.
At approximately 4:00 AM, forest department personnel dismantled two or three tents, leaving the temporary refugees without shelter. The refugees stood their ground, protesting the eviction and demanding a specific solution from the Chief Minister.
After a week-long struggle, the refugees’ determination bore fruit when drinking water broke through the forest department’s control line, reaching the forest. On Saturday morning, villagers breached the fence erected by the forest department, allowing water access.
High-ranking forest officials reported the situation to the Chief Minister, who received humanitarian appeals to save the refugees’ lives. The refugees, despite being Bengali-speaking, emphasized the need to uphold their exclusive demands for food, clothing, and shelter.
As tensions rise, all eyes are on the Chief Minister’s response to this pressing humanitarian crisis.
