Bandh affects normal life in tribal areas of Tripura

The 12-hour bandh called by Tripura's main opposition party the Tipra Motha affected normal life in the tribal areas of northeastern state on Saturday.

The Tipra Motha which controls the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) had called the bandh demanding an early constitutional solution to the problems of the indigenous people.

All offices, educational institutes and shops in the TTAADC areas were closed while the vehicles were off the roads including Assam-Agartala national highway as bandh supporters put up road blockades in several key locations.

Train services were affected while long-distance buses were off the roads. However, flights operated normally from Agartala.

In Agartala and other non-tribal areas of the state shops, markets and offices were open.

"The bandh is peaceful in the autonomous district council areas with bandh supporters staging road blockades in 70/80 locations amidst tight security. There has been no report of any violence till the report last came in", Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Law & Order, Jyotishman Das Chowdhury told PTI.

"The 12-hour bandh in the autonomous district council has been successful and peaceful. The road connectivity came to a grinding halt in non-tribal council areas too. No train was allowed to cross the autonomous district council areas", senior Tipra Motha leader Jagadish Debbarma told reporters at Chandrasadu Para in West Tripura district.

Debbarma who is the chairman of TTAADC said the Tipra Motha called the bandh to put pressure on the Centre for an early constitutional solution to the problems of indigenous people.

"We want the Centre to form Greater Tipraland by inclusion of TTAADC areas as well as indigenous people living in non-TTAADC areas for survival of the native tribes of the northeastern state", he added.