District administration on Saturday clamped section 144 and deployed security forces in Agartala after crowds protesting arrest of chit fund officials clashed with the police. Police arrested a director and a manager of Rose Valley Company at end of 12 hours long raid at its main office in main city area.
The raid was part of ongoing crackdown by district administrations against the Non Banking Financial Institutions (NBFI) in the state. The action preceded a decision of the left front government to refer all chit fund related complaints to the CBI for an expanded probe.
The raid in the main office of the Rose Valley on Friday ended after midnight with arrest of Director Ashok Saha and Manager Anupam Chakraborty. The district administration officials found huge incongruity and anomalies in the papers resulting in detention of two.
Hundreds of people, mostly agents, who gathered outside the office made attempts to break into the West Agartala police station to protest the arrests. They pelted brickbats on the station forcing Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans to resort to baton charge to bring the situation under control.
Rose Valley has been biggest chit fund operator in Tripura and has presence even in remote tribal areas. The company was first raided in 2011, but no arrest was made then.
Tension again erupted in Agartala on Saturday la after crowds started gathering near the police station and the Rose Valley office which was locked following the raid. District administration enforced section 144 while security measure enhanced to quell tension.
Police shut roads leading to the Rose Valley office as a precautionary measure. A total ten people, including Rose Valley officials, were arrested so far in five day long raids in chit fund offices.
