By TC News Desk
Agartala, 8th September 2024: Amid the ongoing efforts to restore normalcy following severe floods in Belonia, tensions have escalated between the linemen of the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) of Belonia and the local community.
In a chaotic scene on Sunday, linemen protested by blocking the road near Old Town Hall Road, demanding protection and accountability after three of their colleagues were brutally assaulted by residents. The altercation unfolded in the aftermath of an electrical malfunction in the Shankar Math area late Saturday night.
The incident took place when two linemen and a driver from TSELC Belonia office on responded to a call regarding a severed power line. Upon arrival around 12:30 am, they were met with an angry crowd who blocked the road, dragged the workers out of their vehicle, and subjected them to physical abuse. The situation escalated as the workers were reportedly held captive until 2:00 am, despite their desperate attempts to reach their superiors for help.
Shockingly, the linemen allege that when they contacted engineers and officers from TSECL including Sukanta and SDO Bhaskar Das, for assistance, they were advised to flee the scene rather than being offered immediate support. The workers claim that the engineers failed to send police to their rescue, leaving them vulnerable to further violence.
The incident has highlighted the growing frustrations of linemen, who have been working tirelessly to restore electricity after the floods, often under difficult and unsafe conditions. Their protests on Sunday revealed deep-rooted issues within the power corporation, including a lack of adequate infrastructure, poor communication from higher-ups, and unsafe working conditions.
One of the key grievances voiced by the protesting linemen was the absence of proper night-time supervision at the Belonia office. “There was no engineer at the office during the night shift, and our safety officer, Sukanta Babu, has been consistently neglectful. SDO Bhaskar Das does not even answer our calls when we need help,” one of the linemen complained during the protest.
