Agartala, Oct 26: The death of a 32-year-old vehicle driver in North Tripura’s Dhupirbond area has triggered tension in the locality, with police detaining one person for questioning following allegations of assault, officials said.
The deceased, identified as Shihab Uddin, was a resident of Ward No. 5 under Dhupirbond Gram Panchayat in the Yubarajnagar Assembly constituency. According to his family, he had been missing for the past four days after leaving home with his vehicle.
Family members said they could not contact him during the period, adding that he was reportedly not carrying a mobile phone.
Relatives alleged that Shihab had been staying at the residence of Ichub Ali, a resident of Ward No. 3 in the same village, while he remained untraceable.
According to the family, an unidentified e-rickshaw driver dropped Shihab near Ali’s residence on the evening of the incident. They claimed that he returned home with bleeding injuries to his nose and mouth and appeared to be in a distressed condition.
The family further alleged that before his death, Shihab named Ali and claimed that he had been physically assaulted. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Following the incident, local residents gathered in the area and reportedly detained the suspect before handing him over to the police. Reports also suggested that some residents allegedly manhandled him before police intervened and took him into custody.
The incident has raised concerns among residents, with some alleging a possible connection between the death and suspected illegal narcotics activities. However, no such link has been officially established, and the allegations remain unverified.
Police recovered the body and sent it to Dharmanagar District Hospital for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
Investigators said the autopsy findings would be crucial in establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident. They maintained that no conclusion could be drawn until the medical report and other evidence were examined.
The police have initiated legal proceedings in connection with the case and are questioning the detained individual as part of the investigation.
Officials said all aspects of the incident, including the family’s allegations and the circumstances surrounding Shihab’s disappearance and death, were being examined.
Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation and the post-mortem report, they added.
