GUWAHATI: The Tripura police said Thursday they have arrested two men in connection with the killing of TV journalist Shantanu Bhowmik during an agitation by the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) in West district on Wednesday.
Six others were arrested in connection with the violence witnessed on Wednesday, said inspector-general of police (law and order) K V Sreejesh.
Bhowmick, a reporter with the Dinrat news channel, was killed while covering the IPFT agitation. He was abducted at Mandai and was subsequently found with stab injuries. He was declared brought dead at the Agartala Medical College and Hospital.
Inspector-general Sreejesh said there was no further violence since Wednesday night. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) continued to be in force while internet services have been suspended in most parts of Tripura.
Personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Tripura State Rifles patrolled the trouble-torn areas while Assam Rifles troopers were asked to stand by in Tripura West and Khowai districts.
The two days of violence at over 10 places between supporters of the IPFT and the CPM’s tribal wing Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad left 50 people injured.
The last rites of slain journalist Shantanu Bhowmik were performed at his ancestral home in Jirania in Tripura West. Earlier in the day, journalists based in the state capital Agartala took out a silent march with the body.
Tribals in Tripura account for 12 lakh of the state's 36.7 lakh population. There are 60 Assembly seats. In in over 20 of them, tribals hold sway. Since 2009, they have been demanding separate statehood for the tribal areas, which are currently governed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).