By IANS,
Agartala : The Indian Army has asked the Tripura government to take strict action against the “culprits” who assaulted an army colonel here, an official release said Wednesday. Tripura Congress President Sudip Roy Barman and his elder brother Sandip Roy Barman reportedly assaulted Colonel B.B. Yadav July 27 at a private telecom service provider’s store.
Lieutenant General A.K Sahni, the general officer commanding of the 3 Corps, along with other senior army officers, met Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sakar here Tuesday night and requested him to take severe action against those “culprits” who are involved in the assault.
“Gen Sahni has requested the chief minister to take urgent action against the culprits, even if they are influential,” an army release said.
“The Army has taken a very serious note of the incident and pursuing the case with the civil administration and police officers in Tripura.
The general conveyed his serious concern to the chief minister over the incident.
“This high handedness, including misconduct by the personnel of one of the central police organisations present in the premises can have a damaging impact on the very cordial relations existing between the Army and other state agencies,” the statement said.
The release said that there is need for investigation on priority.
“The army has been very mature and restrained in maintaining the goodwill earned over years. There is indeed tremendous bonhomie and synergy amongst the security forces and the state. If the matter is end to its logical conclusion, it will be better for all of us,” the release added.
Col. Yadav filed a case in the West Agartala police station Saturday against Sudip Roy Barman and Sandip Roy Barman, claiming that the duo assaulted him July 27.
According to the police, Sandip Roy Barman filed another case Tuesday against the army officer.
Both brothers are sons of former Tripura chief minister and ex-president of state Congress Samir Ranjan Barman.
West Tripura district police chief R.G.K. Rao told IANS that a sub inspector of police has been investigating the matter.
Sandip Roy Barman owns a franchise of a private telecom service provider in Agartala.
Col. Yadav said in his FIR (first information report) that he had demanded refund of his money for returning an internet data card which he had purchased from the shop.
A scuffle erupted when the officer insisted on the immediate refund of his money.
“At this point, Sudip intervened and assaulted me. He also forced me to touch the feet of his brother Sandip,” Col. Yadav added.
However, the state Congress chief denied the charge and claimed it was actually Col. Yadav who had beaten up his brother.
“The colonel, along with two soldiers, had demanded immediate refund of the money from my brother and when he insisted that he had to send the requisition to the head office in Guwahati, they started beating him up,” Sudip Roy Barman told reporters.
The entire incident was caught on video and uploaded on a social site and showed Sudip Roy Barman and his brother assaulting the army officer at a shop.
The army authorities in New Delhi declined to comment on the incident.