Over 30 Trinamool Congress workers detained for Covid guidelines violation

Singh and his colleagues were paying homage to the Youth Congress activists allegedly killed in police firing in Kolkata on this day in 1993 during a rally led by then Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.

Over 30 activists of Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by the party’s Tripura unit chief Asish Lal Singh were detained from Gournagar in Unakoti district for violating the Covid-19 containment guidelines by organising a political gathering on Wednesday. Tripura TMC leader Asish Lal Singh said they were arrested while hoisting TMC flag to pay tribute to martyrs of 1993 Kolkata firing.

Tripura TMC has claimed that the party’s ranks have swelled in the state in the last few months as it seeks to emerge as a force in state politics (AP Photo/Representative)

Apart from Singh, Trinamool Congress Unakoti district president Anjan Chakraborty was also detained.

“They organised a gathering today amidst the pandemic, violating the Covid-19 guidelines. We detained them in presence of an executive magistrate and [they] are now in a temporary jail. More detentions will be made,” said Kailashahar sub divisional police officer Chandan Saha.

“Moreover, they didn’t take any prior permission for the gathering,” Saha added.

Asish Lal Singh said they were arrested while he was hoisting their party flag to pay tribute to the martyrs of 1993 Kolkata firing. Youth Congress activists were allegedly killed in police firing in Kolkata on this day in 1993 during a rally led by then Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.

Tripura TMC has claimed that the party’s ranks have swelled in the state in the last few months as it seeks to emerge as a force in state politics after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition ended the two decades-long communist rule in the state. Next assembly elections in Tripura are slated for 2023.