Incidents of violence and damage to private and public property were reported across Tripura in the 48 hours after the BJP ended 25 years of communist rule. “Many of our party members have been attacked and their houses attacked. Our party offices have been vandalised, destroyed and occupied,” State CPI(M) Secretary Bijan Dhar said. Data collected by CPI(M) said 1,539 houses were damaged, 196 set on fire while 134 party offices were vandalised. BJP supporters also occupied 90 offices of CITU and CPI(M), Mr Dhar said. More than 300 people among 514 attacked after the results were declared on March 3 were undergoing treatment, he added. The BJP too accused CPI(M) of using police personnel in certain district such as Khowai and Unakoti. “Of the 49 people including women the communists attacked, 17 are in hospital and one is in critical condition in a Kolkata private clinic. There is no truth in BJP workers engaged in large-scale violence; rather CPI(M) orchestrated violence masquerading as our workers,” State BJP vice president Subal Bhowmik said.
