People's Democracy

TRIPURA

Yet Another CPI(M) Leader Killed By Extremists

Haripada Das

YET another CPI(M) leader has fallen victim at East Gobindabari, a far flung remote bordering village near Indo-Bangladesh border of Longthorai valley sub-division, Dhalai district at the hands of the anti-national extremist outfit of NLFT(BM) on July 13 , 2007.

Comrade Manyakumar Tripura, CPI(M) and Ganamukti Parishad leader, vice chairman of East Gobindabari village committee of Tripura tribal areas autonomous district council (ADC) was accompanying Rai Kumar Tripura, a BLO (booth level officer, appointed by the Election department for preparing photo electoral rolls in the state) to assist him in taking photographs of some remaining voters at Naisaram Roaja Para and Aranji Chhara, two inaccessible tribal hamlets near Bangladesh border on July 12, 2007. Another person Khatrajoy Tripura was also with them to assist in taking photographs. After completing the task, when they were returning next morning on July 13, a group of 10-12 armed NLFT(BM) extremists accosted all of them at Wadukchhara. The extremists immediately held Manyakumar, tied his hands and feet, and smashed his head with boulders.

Manyakumar was mutilated and killed on the spot. The other two were brutally tortured by the extremists. With great trouble they somehow reached Chawmanu, the nearest market place to pass on this news of gruesome attack. When the killers left the spot, the nearby villagers recovered the dead body of Manyakumar and carried it to the CPI(M) Chawmanu local committee office where the mortal remains of Manyakumar Tripura was draped with red flag by Nirajoy Tripura, Party Longthorai valley secretariat member. Party leaders, workers and common people paid their last respects to Comrade Manyakumar.

Comrade Manyakumar Tripura, a member of the CPI(M) was a very popular leader among the masses of the area. He outspokenly campaigned against the hollowness of extremism and persuaded the misguided youth to abjure wrong path and return to the mainstream to take part in the developmental works that were going on. At the request of the Election Department seeking cooperation of all concerned in achieving cent percent coverage in taking photographs of the electors, Comrade Manyakumar came forward with full earnestness to fulfill this task in his village.

CPI(M) Tripura state secretariat in a press note issued on July 14 alleged that the secessionist extremist outfits patronised by the anti-Left Front political parties had committed this pre-planned ghastly killing of Comrade Manyakumar Tripura with a view to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere on the eve of ensuing Assembly elections due in the early next year. CPI(M) called upon the people to stand against this inhuman barbarism and unitedly foil any hateful conspiracy that may be hatched by the anti-democratic forces in the days before election. CPI(M) state secretariat conveyed deep condolences to the wife and sons of Comrade Manyakumar, and urged upon the government to make all possible efforts to nab the killer group of extremists at the earliest.