Agartala: Two security personnel sustained injuries in Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Monday after they were allegedly attacked with stones by suspected ganja cultivators during an anti-drug operation, police officials said.
Authorities said enforcement agencies have been carrying out large-scale drives since January to destroy illegal marijuana plantations in forested areas of the district as part of a sustained crackdown on narcotics cultivation.
During one such operation, a joint team comprising personnel from the police, Assam Rifles and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) had entered the North Kalamchoura area under the Kalamchoura police station limits when they came under attack, officials said.
During the drive, suspected ganja cultivators allegedly encircled the joint security team from different sides, carrying sharp-edged weapons, bricks and stones. The attackers reportedly flashed weapons and pelted stones at the Assam Rifles and TSR jawans, creating a tense situation.
In an attempt to control the situation, Assam Rifles and BSF personnel fired 15 to 20 rounds in the air to disperse the hostile crowd, police said. However, the suspected cultivators allegedly continued to resist and did not back off.
With the situation remaining volatile, the joint forces were forced to pull back from the area and rushed the injured personnel to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Sources said the anti-ganja drive could not be carried out as planned due to strong resistance from the cultivators. They added that this period coincides with the peak harvesting and drying season, and in an effort to prevent their produce from being seized, the growers allegedly mounted a coordinated assault on the security forces.
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Tripura Police chief spokesperson Rajdeep Deb confirmed the incident and said Assam Rifles personnel resorted to blank firing to bring the situation under control after it escalated.
Deb said authorities will take stringent action against those responsible for attacking security personnel and that efforts are underway to identify and book the key individuals who allegedly instigated the violence.
