By TC News Desk
Agartala, 3rd September 2024: A political storm has erupted in the Melaghar Municipal Council area, leaving the local administration seemingly paralyzed. Tensions between two factions of the ruling party have boiled over into a bloody conflict centered around the lucrative Nigo trade. The situation took a violent turn when Atanu Pal Roy, the husband of Melaghar Municipal Council Chairperson Anamika Pal Roy, was seriously injured in an alleged attack orchestrated by political rivals. The shocking incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with fingers pointing directly at prominent political figures.
Debbrata Bhattacharya, the president of BJP’s Sipahijala District South, has been accused of being at the heart of the conflict. “There has been a cold war brewing between these factions for a long time,” Bhattacharya stated, confirming the allegations but denying any wrongdoing. He added, “A case has been registered at the Melaghar police station, but the situation remains tense.”
In a direct accusation, Chairperson Anamika Pal Roy alleged that Bhattacharya had been pressuring her husband to join the Nigo trade, a business he is allegedly involved in. “Debabrata Bhattacharya wanted us to join his business, but we refused,” she told reporters. “Since then, he has been making our lives difficult in every possible way.”
The chairperson painted a grim picture of the situation, alleging that Bhattacharya had shielded local mafia figures under his influence. “No outside contractor can work in Melaghar without his approval,” she claimed. “This is all about money for him. He demanded lakhs of rupees from us, but we didn’t comply.”
The situation escalated on Monday night when Anamika Pal Roy and her husband were returning home from a Kali Puja event. According to her, they were ambushed by a group of men linked to Bhattacharya, including known mafia members Sentu Burman, Kalipada Burman, Laxman Bhowmik, and others. “They attacked my husband with iron rods, hitting him on the head. Even I was not spared; I was molested in the process,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion.
The brutal assault left Atanu Pal Roy critically injured. He was first rushed to Melaghar hospital before being transferred to GB Hospital for better treatment, where he remains under medical care. Anamika Pal Roy has demanded strict punishment for the attackers, insisting that justice must be served. “I have informed the Chief Minister, Dr. Manik Saha, BJP state president Rajiv Bhattacharya, and MLA Kishore Burman about the incident,” she revealed. “We need action, not silence.”
The attack has ignited widespread anger among the local BJP workers, who have since blocked the Melaghar-Sonamura road in protest, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. “The people are outraged,” said one protester. “We won’t rest until justice is done.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, there are concerns that the police are not acting with the urgency required. “For some unknown reason, the police are playing a silent role,” an observer noted. “The community is watching closely to see if the law will be upheld.”
