Agartala, 25th August 2026 : Tension erupted in the Latiyapura area along the India-Bangladesh border on Tuesday after local residents obstructed the repair of a damaged embankment along the Manu River, demanding that a road allegedly damaged by construction vehicles be repaired first.
Recent heavy rainfall in Kailashahar caused the water level of the Manu River to rise sharply, resulting in breaches and damage to several sections of the river embankment in Latiyapura under Gournagar RD Block. In view of the situation, the Water Resources Development Department initiated steps for urgent repairs.
Before the work began, Unakoti District Magistrate Megha Jain, IAS, along with officials of the concerned department, inspected the damaged portions of the embankment. Initially, the repair work was proposed to be entrusted to two contractors. However, the plan was later revised, and following a meeting with four contractors, the project was divided into four segments.
Repair work has been underway for nearly a month. While the first three contractors have completed their respective portions, the fourth contractor faced resistance from local residents while attempting to start work on the final stretch.
According to local residents, the movement of heavy vehicles involved in the construction work has damaged portions of the road in the area. They demanded that the road be repaired before the remaining embankment work is resumed.
The stand-off led to tension in the border area from Tuesday morning. Police personnel from Irani Police Station reached the spot and took measures to prevent the situation from escalating. Police surveillance continued in the area, while discussions with the residents were underway.
With the embankment repair considered urgent ahead of further rainfall, authorities are attempting to resolve the dispute and ensure that the remaining work is completed at the earliest. The situation remains under watch as the conflicting demands for road restoration and embankment repair continue to be addressed.
