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In another incident of violence against journalist, a local television journalist was kidnapped and stabbed to death while covering the agitation and road blockade by Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) in Tripura on Wednesday. Santanu Bhowmick, a journalist from ‘Dinrat’ news channel, was covering the agitation when he was abducted. He was then found with serious injuries and taken to Agartala Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Superintendent of Police of West Tripura district, Abhijit Saptarshi, said that Santanu was hit from behind and kidnapped when he was covering the protest. Information minister, Bhanulal Saha, visited Agartala Medical College and Hospital where Bhowmick was brought.
The situation in the state remained tense on Tuesday after over a hundred activists of the Gana Mukti Parishad (GMP), the tribal wing of the ruling CPI-M, were injured in a clash with IPFT workers. The violent clash broke out at Chhankhola area of Khowai district when Parishad supporters gathered at the bus stand to travel to Agartala for a GMP rally, Khowai Superintendent of Police, Nagendra Debbarma told reporters.
At least 118 GMP activists were injured and 15 buses were damaged after IPFT workers attacked with sticks and iron rods. In sensitive areas, personnel from the Tripura State Rifles and Assam Rifles were deployed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in Tulashikhar and Rajnagar apprehending breach of peace, the SP said.