Tripura : DGP’s mysterious death – Murder Or Suicide ?
Reflection of political interference and administrative rot
Poonam Sharma
The tragic and mysterious death of Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar has once again shocked the entire country and this is said to be the first incident in the history of Tripura where a serving police chief has committed suicide under such suspicious circumstances. Even his two mobile phones were missing from the scene. The incident has forced an uncomfortable truth on the public: the state police no longer appear independent, but are increasingly shackled by political interests.
The Ghost of Political Interference and Outrageous Questions
The untimely death of DGP Dhankar has opened a Pandora’s box of disturbing questions. How could a respected officer, known to be honest and dedicated, be driven to such despair? Two mobile phones of his were untraceable after his death. Why? These unanswered questions cast doubt on the environment in which he worked. In recent years, there has been increasing criticism that the Tripura police department has become an instrument of political actors rather than a guardian of justice. Many allege that only BJP workers had been continously targeted and the logic before this is that Chief Minister Manik Saha is trying to breed Congress culture and that the present government could not foster coordination and neutrality. The police, who are supposed to be the people’s protectors, appear – at least in the public’s mind – to be pawns of the powerful.The refrain is that Chief Minister Manik Saha is surrounded by a circle of favoured and pliable officers, whom he employs to maintain unfair practices and stifle honest administration.
Jitendra Chaudhary says “, People like Dr Vishal Kumar, who is said to be a close aide of Manik Saha, are seen as puppets who help the chief minister in his agenda to disturb the peace of many peace loving people of Tripura”along with many dedicated workers & office bearers of BJP & RSS are also found experiencing the same .
According to many Senior officers of Tripura,The said system of favoritism is not only demoralizing for the competent officers, but it also fosters an environment where corruption and manipulation can flourish.
The Human Cost: Dhankar’s Agony, Police Morale and Public Trust
The opposition and civil society voices have not been shy.
Communist leader Jitendra Chaudhury said “the present government has absolutely failed to provide security and protection to both the citizens and public servants. He said DGP Dhankar had told him that he was under tremendous pressure and was hurt by the constant political interference and his inability to act against the corrupt officers who were being shielded by the regime.There are allegations that some of the officers like South Tripura SP Shri Mourya Krishna C, IPS were not only corrupt but also preferred by the Chief Minister himself and Dhankar could not do anything about it”. This sort of favouritism demoralised the honest officers and
Dhankar felt isolated and helpless. Dhankar even reportedly shared his anguish that he was frustrated that he could do nothing meaningful to act against corruption. Jitendra Chaudhary has mentioned to have cited examples of gross misconduct and indiscipline going unpunished – from the murder of a sub-inspector to unchecked goondaism in government offices .In the letters and WhatsApp messages sent to Dhankar before his death, addressed to senior officials, Chaudhary had called for precautionary measures and pointed to the absence of human rights and safety for honest officers and government employees. The situation has been so bad that senior administrative officers like SDMs and BDOs were insulted or threatened with impunity and no remedial action was taken .This systemic rot has not only affected the morale of the police force but also the confidence of the general public. If a DGP can be pushed to such limits, what hope is there for the common man or woman seeking justice and protection?
It is said that one SP rank officer said to be very close to CM & he was dictating & behaving among all police officials & deptt as more than DGP .one can understand the mind set of rest police deptt on behest of CM .Anyone can understand that police governance of Tripura under the corrupt reign of CM Manik Saha .Senior opposition leader Sudip Roy Barman, speaking to a private news channel, termed the death of Tripura’s DGP as mysterious and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. He stated that a thorough, independent, and high-level investigation is essential to uncover the complete truth behind the case.
A Demand for Responsibility and Change at the Top
DGP’s death Anurag Dhankar is not just a personal tragedy. It is a sign of a deeper malaise that haunts the state. The chief minister’s response has been roundly condemned as insufficient and unfeeling .The government is more interested in damage control and stifling dissent than in ensuring a fearless, impartial and scientific investigation. No state can run efficiently if its top brass are terrorised or made puppets of political masters. Tripura is at a dangerous crossroads, with unchecked corruption, lack of honest officials and the normalization of intimidation tactics. That even a DGP resorts to committing suicide out of frustration and helplessness is a damning indictment of the administrative and political leadership.It is time for Chief Minister Manik Saha to realise the seriousness of the situation and be held responsible for the culture of fear and manipulation that has thrived under his watch. The missing cell phones, the abuses never investigated and the lack of protection for law-abiding officers are not small oversights, they are evidence of a system in freefall. The people of Tripura deserve answers – transparent, fearless and complete answers. The least that is required to restore public trust and to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again is a judicial inquiry, conducted in an impartial manner and preferably under the direct supervision of the High Court. That is the least that can be expected from Tripura’s police force, and the legacy of DGP Anurag Dhankar.
The tragic and mysterious death of Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar has once again shocked the entire country and this is said to be the first incident in the history of Tripura where a serving police chief has committed suicide under such suspicious circumstances. Even his two mobile phones were missing from the scene. The incident has forced an uncomfortable truth on the public: the state police no longer appear independent, but are increasingly shackled by political interests.
The Ghost of Political Interference and Outrageous Questions
The untimely death of DGP Dhankar has opened a Pandora’s box of disturbing questions. How could a respected officer, known to be honest and dedicated, be driven to such despair? Two mobile phones of his were untraceable after his death. Why? These unanswered questions cast doubt on the environment in which he worked. In recent years, there has been increasing criticism that the Tripura police department has become an instrument of political actors rather than a guardian of justice. Many allege that only BJP workers had been continously targeted and the logic before this is that Chief Minister Manik Saha is trying to breed Congress culture and that the present government could not foster coordination and neutrality. The police, who are supposed to be the people’s protectors, appear – at least in the public’s mind – to be pawns of the powerful.The refrain is that Chief Minister Manik Saha is surrounded by a circle of favoured and pliable officers, whom he employs to maintain unfair practices and stifle honest administration. People like Dr Vishal Kumar, who is said to be a close aide of Manik Saha, are seen as puppets who help the chief minister in his agenda.
The system of favoritism is not only demoralizing for the competent officers, but it also fosters an environment where corruption and manipulation can flourish.
A Demand for Responsibility and Change at the Top
DGP’s death Anurag Dhankar is not just a personal tragedy. It is a sign of a deeper malaise that haunts the state. The chief minister’s response has been roundly condemned as insufficient and unfeeling .The government is more interested in damage control and stifling dissent than in ensuring a fearless, impartial and scientific investigation. No state can run efficiently if its top brass are terrorised or made puppets of political masters. Tripura is at a dangerous crossroads, with unchecked corruption, lack of honest officials and the normalization of intimidation tactics. That even a DGP resorts to committing suicide out of frustration and helplessness is a damning indictment of the administrative and political leadership.It is time for Chief Minister Manik Saha to realise the seriousness of the situation and be held responsible for the culture of fear and manipulation that has thrived under his watch. The missing cell phones, the abuses never investigated and the lack of protection for law-abiding officers are not small oversights, they are evidence of a system in freefall. The people of Tripura deserve answers – transparent, fearless and complete answers. The least that is required to restore public trust and to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again is a judicial inquiry, conducted in an impartial manner and preferably under the direct supervision of the High Court. That is the least that can be expected from Tripura’s police force, and the legacy of DGP Anurag Dhankar. In the memory of DGP Anurag Dhankar – a committed officer let down by the system he served. Let his sacrifice toll the bell of conscience for the rulers and let Tripura be restored to justice, dignity and true rule of law.he system he served. Let his sacrifice toll the bell of conscience for the rulers and let Tripura be restored to justice, dignity and true rule of law.
