After  clashes among the rival supporters of BJP and Tipra-Motha in Jampuijala-Takharjala areas under Sepahijala district on Monday afternoon, escalating tension prevails in that areas and as many as 9 supporters of BJP and two police personnel were  hospitalized after the clash.

Sources said that the ruling BJP on Monday has organized an organizational meeting of 12-Takharjala Mondal of the party at Bukrui Community Hall adjacent to Jampuijala Block and when party supporters were started gathering at the community hall from different areas, groups of Tipra-Motha supporters created obstructions on their way.

Accordingly, BJP workers and leaders have been campaigning in Takharjala and Jampuijala areas for some time and many activists, when moving their meeting venue, Motha supporters had barricaded them to prevent anyone from the BJP  from joining the Bukrui Community Hall meeting on Monday.

However, some activists defied all fears and entered Buckrui Community Hall and as per the pre-arranged programme, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee and Sepahijala district president Gaurang Bhowmik entered the Bukrui community hall and started the executive meeting by lighting the lamp.

After the meeting, when BJP workers and leaders returned back to their respective houses, allegedly Motha supporters attacked them at Hariyapara area of Takharjala and severely thrashed many party workers. Later, BJP workers also created resistance and fierce fighting among both party supporters started. During clashes among BJP and Motha supporters, miscreants had ransacked three motorbikes and two scooties of common people and had also attacked two houses of the same locality.

Later, a large number of police forces rushed to the spot and they tried to resist both party workers, resulting in the officer-in-charge (OC) of Takharjala police station Rathindra Debbarma and one police constable sustaining injuries. Nine BJP workers also suffered injuries and all were shifted to Takharjala primary hospital and after primary treatments, all were released from the hospital.

Police sources said that a large number of security forces were deployed in those areas to defuse escalating tension.

While condemning the incident, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee said that in order to strengthen the party organizations in every Mandal, the conference of party workers for 12-Takharjala was scheduled on Monday and the party has organized the same. But, on the way to the meeting venue, many party workers were attacked and thrashed by Motha workers, which has reflected their gross frustration over by-poll results.  He said that BJP workers are ready to give two lotuses from Tripura to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in next Lok Sabha elections and attack on their party workers has also reflected weakness of Tipra-Motha.

Meanwhile, Tipra-Motha MLA of Takharjala assembly constituency, Biswajit Koloi blamed BJP workers for the clash and claimed that BJP workers deliberately attacked them to disturb the peace in Takharjala. He also alleged that police acted partially and they allowed BJP workers to create nuisance and violence in Takharjala and Jampuijala.