Press Statement
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Tripura Massacre: Deploy More Security Forces
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the brutal massacre of 11 persons by an armed gang in Bankimnagar in Jhernia in the Sadar district of Tripura. On the night of 26th January, a gang of gunmen used automatic weapons against people living in a group of houses belonging to CPI(M) members and supporters.
Among those killed are two members of the CPI(M), Harekrishna Sutradar and Madhusudan Goswami and another Party worker Sankar Sutradar. Out of the 11 killed are 4 women and two children aged 6 and 4.
With the announcement of the assembly elections, the armed extremist gangs have stepped up their activities targeting CPI(M) workers and supporters. The CPI(M) had already approached the Election Commission requesting that adequate security forces be deployed given the special situation in the state where extremist gangs are able to operate due to the long international border.
The Bankimnagar massacre underlines the urgent necessity for deployment of adequate central paramilitary forces and the army to combat the armed extremists. The CPI(M) once again urges the Election Commission to take urgent measures in this regard.