Agartala, 7th September 2026 : A controversy has erupted over the ongoing Village Council elections at Manughat RD Block following an allegation of harassment against a candidate during the nomination filing process.
The allegation has been raised by Purnima Das, a Tipra Motha candidate contesting from Seat No. 4 of Chailengta Village Council. According to the complaint, Das visited the Manughat RD Block office on September 5 to submit her nomination papers. It is alleged that the Returning Officer (RO) on duty, Rajesh Deb, obtained her mobile number from the nomination documents and subsequently sent her an SMS.
According to information available, Deb is also serving as a Graduate Teacher (GT) at Manughat School.
After receiving the alleged message, Das reportedly informed her husband, Rajib Sarkar, who subsequently approached the authorities over the matter. A formal complaint was reportedly sent through WhatsApp to the District Magistrate of Dhalai district on Monday morning. A copy was also submitted to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Chailengta.
A written complaint has further been lodged with the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Manu Block, Bijit Debbarma. It has also been reported that a case has been registered against the person concerned at the local police station.
Following the complaint, the concerned Returning Officer has reportedly been served a show-cause notice seeking an explanation over the allegations.
The development has triggered discussion in political and administrative circles, particularly as the incident allegedly occurred during the nomination process for the Village Council elections. The allegations, however, have not yet been conclusively established, and the exact circumstances surrounding the exchange remain subject to investigation.
With both administrative and legal proceedings reportedly underway, attention is now focused on the findings of the inquiry and the subsequent action, if any, against those found responsible.
