BIRCHANDRA MANU/AGARTALA, October 12 (TIWN): On October 12, 1988, activists of the Indian National Congress (INC) attacked a Communist Party of India (Marxist) office in Birchandra Manu village of Belonia sub-division. The attack took place whilst the CPI(M) cadres were hoisting a party flag to mark the re-opening of their local party office (which had been closed following previous attacks from Congress workers).

Present at the hoisting ceremony were CPI (M) leader and they were Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council
(TTAADC) member Sridam Pal and the Tripura Legislative Assembly member Brajamohan Jamatia.

Eleven CPI (M) cadres were killed. Sridam Pal was amongst the dead ones, whilst Brajamohan Jamatia survived the attack, somehow. Other victims included village Pradhans and members of the divisional committee of the party. Two security officers, adjacent to Sridam Pal, were killed whilst trying to defend the attack.

Relating to the same, a martyrs site has been founded in Birchandra Manu in remembrance of the people killed, on the said day. The left activists who had lost their lives in the aforesaid incident are- Sridam Paul, Ganthirai Murasingh, Chatramani Debbarma, Nitai Sarkar, Sudhir Debnath, Biralal Das, Purnachandra Noatia, Nityahari Murasingh, Sukharanja Murasingh, Bhadra Kumar Murasingh,
Lalit Noatia and two Police Personnel.
Ratan Dutta and Amal Biswas.

In memory of the deceased party activists, Sahid Divas (Martyrs Day) has been observed, today, by the CPI (M) and flag was hoisted by senior party leader Badal Choudhury. MLA Basudeb Majumder and Manindra Debnath were also present at 11 am today at Birchandra Manu.

Meanwhile, a computer training center has also been inaugurated by Badal Choudhury and a web site has also been launched to commemorate the demise of the party workers.