People's Democracy

TRIPURA

Congress Goons Brutally Kill Comrade Tapan Roy

Haripada Das

KAMALPUR sub-division under Dhalai district of Tripura had many martyrdoms including the assassination of renowned CPI(M) leader and minister of Left Front government Bimal Sinha and his two brothers. Most of the killings were committed by the outlawed secessionist extremists mainly ATTF and NLFT(BM). But this time the heinous and dastardly attack came from the goons known to be Congress workers and shadow-like companion of the newly elected Congress MLA from Kamalpur assembly constituency.

Like any other day, Tapan Roy, (37), a young energetic CPI(M) leader, chairperson of Kamalpur Nagar panchayat and secretary, CPI(M) Kamalpur local committee was returning home from the Party office at about 10.00 pm on April 4, 2008. Just before the gate of his house, some unknown miscreants hiding under darkness, accosted him and without letting him know anything, they began to strike him with choppers. Only after a loud scream he fell down and died on the spot. Reasonably, the killers had no trouble to make good their escape. But the saddest news of this ghastly killing had taken no time to spread over even in the night. The Party leaders, workers and sympathisers and the common people from surrounding areas rushed to the house of Comrade Tapan Roy. Two such youth who were rushing towards the house of Comrade Roy, came across one Amit Deb, a die-hard follower of Congress party and constant companion of newly elected MLA Manoj Deb. While Amit was attempting to wash off bloodstains of his body and clothes in the darkness in River Dhalai, he was caught red-handed by the rushing youth. They immediately handed him over to the police. The police recovered a 37� long chopper used in assassination from the spot in Dhalai River that was identified by Amit Deb the next day. But he is still keeping mum to give the details of other accomplices involved in this killing. The alleged assassin Amit Deb was a counting agent of Sri Manoj Deb, Congress party�s candidate from Kamalpur assembly constituency in the just concluded Tripura assembly elections.

Immediately after hearing the sad news, Party�s district secretary in charge Birendra Paul, secretariat member Dipak Paitya, ex minister Bijoylaxmi Sinha and hundreds of other Party workers and supporters thronged the Kamalpur Hospital where the departed leader was kept for post mortem. They also went to his house and consoled the bereaved family members.

Next morning a pall of grief engulfed the entire sub-division of Kamalpur. The mourning people in thousands gathered before the Hospital morgue at Kamalpur. After post mortem, the funeral procession started with mortal remains of Comrade Roy from the hospital to the Party local committee office. Comrade Birendra Paul draped the body of Comrade Roy with red flag. Floral tributes were paid by the leaders and the poeple. The funeral then proceeded to Kamalpur Nagar panchayat office where hundreds of people broke down in grief. The mortal remains of Comrade Tapan Roy were consigned to flames on the bank of Dhalai near his house in presence of hundreds of Party leaders, workers, sympathisers and his relatives.

This unprovoked pre-planned political killing was condemned by all sections of the people. Next day, at the call of the CPI(M) Kamalpur division committee, the people of Kamalpur observed bandh in the sub-division condemning the killing and demanding a proper inquiry. The bandh was peaceful. On April 6-7, 2008 protest demonstrations were organised by the Party in all over the state against this murder resorted to by the Congress which faced a damning defeat in the recent assembly elections.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, CPI(M) Tripura state committee, CPI(M) Kamalpur division committee, Tripura Khet Mazdoor Union, SFI, Tripura Working Journalist Association etc., in separate statements strongly condemned the killing and offered condolences to the bereaved family members of Comrade Roy.

Late Comrade Tapan Roy joined the Party through student front. He was SFI state committee member. He attained Party membership in the turbulent days during the Congress-TUJS semi-fascist terror in 1989. His sincerity, commitment and conviction for Party led him to the forefront. His modest behavior was admired by all, cutting across the Party line. In 2005, he was elected as chairperson of Kamalpur Nagar panchayat. Comrade Tapan Roy was CPI(M) Kamalpur local committee secretary and member of the Tripura state council of All India Agricultural Workers� Union.