Breakdown of law, order in Tripura: Congress

AGARTALA - There is a complete breakdown of law and order in Tripura, leader of opposition and Congressman Ratan Lal Nath said Saturday, adding that party chief Sonia Gandhi has also voiced concern on the issue.

Nath said he along with Tripura Congress president Surajit Datta met Gandhi in New Delhi earlier this week and submitted a detailed report on “crime, unabated corruption and misrule of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front government in Tripura”.

“Law and order situation has completely broken down in Tripura, which tops in India in crimes against women,” Nath told reporters.

Nath, quoting government documents, said by and large around 800 cases of crime against women are registered by Tripura police every year.

“The conviction rate in Tripura is only 16-18 percent, the lowest in India,” he said.

“In most crimes, cadres of the ruling parties were involved. Police did not take action,” the Congress leader said.

But the ruling CPI-M refuted the opposition leader’s charges and claimed that the crime and corruption scenario in the state is better than many of the Congress-ruled states.

“The Left Front government, Tripura Commission for Women and other authorities are taking urgent steps against both crime and corruption,” CPI-M spokesman Gautam Das told reporters.

“Congress’ wrong economic policies create social imbalance resulting in growing crimes,” he said.