Agartala, August 6:
Tension gripped Bishramganj in Sepahijala district on Tuesday evening after an alleged molestation incident involving a tribal girl in a public bus sparked mob violence, leaving several people minor injured and multiple vehicles vandalized.
Reportedly, the girl was travelling from Agartala to Sonamura when she was allegedly molested by an unidentified passenger in the packed vehicle. By the time the bus reached Bishramganj, the suspected culprit had reportedly disembarked.
The victim’s brother said she is undergoing air hostess training in Guwahati and had flown into Agartala earlier in the day before boarding the bus home.
As news of the incident spread, a large crowd armed with sticks and rods gathered, attacking the bus and a few other vehicles. Windshields were smashed, and shards of glass caused multiple cut injuries to passengers.
SP Sepahijala, Bijoy Debbarma, along with local police and paramilitary forces, initially struggled to contain the situation.
Additional forces led by IG (Law and Order) Ipper Monchak Dnyanoba were later deployed, bringing the situation under control after several hours.
However, tensions remained high, prompting the district administration to invoke Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, empowering Executive Magistrates to issue preventive orders to avert threats to public safety and order.
While some bus passengers denied witnessing any harassment, police said that investigation is ongoing to find out the facts but suspect that rumors on social media may have inflamed the situation.
Authorities have urged the public not to spread unverified information or engage in violence, assuring that the matter is under active investigation.
The victim is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment alongwith with few injured passengers injured in the mob vandalizing of vehicles.
