TMP legislator threatened in Tripura MLAs hostel, police launch probe

Agartala, Sep 2 (IANS) A legislator of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), a coalition partner of Tripura's ruling BJP, on Tuesday alleged that he was threatened by a group of unidentified people at the MLAs' hostel on the outskirts of the state capital, leading to the police launching a probe.

A senior police official said that an intensive investigation is underway, and the police have more or less identified the three to four people who are involved in the Monday night incident.

The MLA hostel, located in the New Capital Complex, is situated near the State Secretariat, the Legislative Assembly, and the Tripura High Court.

TMP MLA Philip Kumar Reang on Tuesday claimed that three to four unidentified youths threatened him at the hostel on Monday night while he was talking with some people outside his room. He alleged that the youths were in an inebriated condition.

Reang, who was elected from the Kanchanpur assembly constituency in North Tripura, in a Facebook post, said: "New MLA Hostel is not safe for MLAs. I was threatened on Monday around 10 pm by an unknown 3-4 persons who were all drunk just in front of my room. Who should take responsibility for the security lapses ?"

A six-member MLA delegation on Tuesday met Chief Minister Manik Saha at his civil secretariat office in the New Capital Complex and urged him to ensure the security of legislators at the MLA hostel.

Minister of State for Industries and Commerce Brishaketu Debbarma and Reang were also in the delegation.

"Monday night’s incident at the MLA hostel is a life-threatening case for all legislators. The matter is very serious. The Chief Minister has assured us that he will look into the matter with utmost seriousness," Debbarma told the media after the meeting.

Terming the incident a major security lapse, Reang requested the Chief Minister to look into the issue seriously.

"These unidentified people gave me life-threatening threats. They threatened to chop off my head and said they would bring 500 people to the MLA hostel next time. These three to four persons might have come to the hostel to meet BJP MLA Promode Reang, who is also staying there," Reang told the media.

He has lodged an FIR at the New Capital Complex police station demanding appropriate action against the accused persons.

Director General of Police Anurag, accompanied by senior officials, visited the MLA hostel to assess the security arrangements there. The DGP later said there was an argument between the legislator (Philip Reang) and three/four unidentified persons at the MLA hostel on Monday night. "Police have started an investigation to identify the people who threatened the MLA. Normally, only guests of the MLAs are allowed to enter the hostel. We are looking into the incident with all seriousness,” the police chief told the media.

There are 45 rooms in the MLA hostel, of which 40 have been allotted to legislators from the BJP, the TMP, the CPI-M, and the Congress.

--IANS

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