Tripura government forms panel to examine deaths in political violence

After examining these cases, the committee would give its recommendations. But the government did not mention the number of casualties.

Following a demand by family members of those who died in political violence, the BJP-IPFT government in Tripura has appointed a three-member committee to examine all cases of casualties is such violence.

A CRPF officer stands guard at the polling station as the voters in a queue to cast vote during the general election in Agartala. There had been violence in the run up to the elections and after the results. (ANI FILE PHOTO)

Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath is the chairman of the committee. Principal Secretary of Law Department DM Jamatia is the member and additional secretary of Home Department Devananda Reang is the convener of the committee, a government notification said.

“The state government has decided to examine all such cases in which the victims died due to political violence long before and the family members of the victims are claiming for proper investigation of these cases so that the actual culprits are punished as per provision of law,” according to a notification by D. Reang, additional secretary of Home Department .

After examining these cases, the committee would give its recommendations, the notice said. The government did not mention the number of casualties.

Both the opposition CPM and Congress had alleged of violence during and after the Lok Sabha elections and after the results.

A total of 186 cases related to Lok Sabha polls violence were registered with police till May, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb had said earlier. There were no deaths in these cases, he had said.

Out of the total cases, 149 were registered before the elections, four on polling day and 33 after the elections.

The BJP, for the first time, won the two Lok Sabha seats of the state, which the CPI (M) had won from 1996 till 2014.