Agartala, May 15, 2024: A scandal has erupted over the sale of agar plants leading to a heated situation in the Jolaibasa area of Baragol gram panchayat under Kadamtala police station in North Tripura district. A case has been officially filed in the Kadamtala police station marking the escalation of tensions surrounding the dispute.
Sources informed that several years ago, Abdul Haque, a resident of Ward No. 5 in the Baragol Village Panchayat, had purportedly sold ten agar plants to his neighbor Altab Hossain. However, a contentious disagreement soon arose between the two parties regarding the transaction. While Haque claimed to have sold only ten plants, Hossain insisted that the purchase had involved ninety-three agar plants. Subsequently, a counter-case was filed at the Kadamtala police station.
Despite attempts to resolve the dispute through village arbitration meetings, the impasse persisted, prompting intervention from the Kadamtala police station. A reconciliation meeting was convened with key figures from the Jolaibasa area in attendance. It was resolved during this meeting to allocate twelve agar plants to Hossain. However, discord resurfaced when Hossain, initially in agreement, later reneged on the decision.
On a Sunday morning, tensions escalated as Hossain, accompanied by a group, allegedly trespassed into Haque’s residence, locking occupants inside before proceeding to cut trees from the agar garden. Fatima Begum, Haque’s wife, recounted the harrowing experience of seeking refuge at the Kadamtala police station while Hossain and his cohorts purportedly ravaged their property.
According to Begum, a total of fifty-five agar trees were unlawfully felled, amounting to an estimated loss of twenty lakh rupees. In response, Haque filed a written complaint against four individuals—Altab Hossain, Abdul Mumin, Rafiq Uddin, and Salim Uddin—at the Kadamtala Police Station, prompting an investigation by the authorities.
Local residents have urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure justice prevails. They advocate for the rightful owner to be determined before any further action is taken.
In response to the allegations, Sanjib Sarkar, the investigating officer from the Kadamtala police station, disclosed that a case 31/2024 had been registered under sections 448, 325, 354, 427 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, with investigations currently underway. Notably, no arrests have been made thus far.
Altab Hossain, the accused buyer of the agar plants, refuted the allegations, asserting that Haque’s family had sold the plants in their presence, disputing the number and price. Hossain emphasized the need for a thorough police investigation to uncover the truth, alleging falsehoods on Haque’s part.
As the investigation takes place, the community awaits the resolution of this contentious dispute, hoping for a fair and just outcome.
