Agartala, March 2: The Congress leadership in Tripura has accused the CPM of assaulting its workers in the wake of February 23 Assembly elections that witnessed a record voter turnout.

With five days remaining for counting of ballots, Congress leaders alleged that CPM attacked their supporters in Khayerpur, Mazlishpur and Badharghat constituencies located on the outskirts of Agartala.

According to PCC general secretary Dilip Sarkar, 35 Congress workers were injured in a series of attacks in the three constituencies.

Shops of 11 Congress activists who are all small-time traders, were allegedly torched by CPM supporters resulting in loss of goods worth Rs 60 lakh.

Incidents of violence and intimidation have been reported from North Tripura district.

Shops owned by five Congress workers and the party’s office were allegedly set on fire by CPM workers on Wednesday at Jagannathpur under Kailasahar subdivision.

In a letter addressed to the director-general of police (DGP), K.T.D. Singh, PCC president Samir Ranjan Barman has urged him to tackle violence with an iron hand.

He also alleged irregularities in distribution of postal ballots.

“In many constituencies postal ballots have been issued in excess of requirement. A dispute over this led to the death of Sachimohan Debbarma, the returning officer of Raima Valley constituency in Dhalai district, under mysterious circumstances,” Barman said.

Debbarma, 56, was found hanging from the ceiling of his official residence on Thursday, a day after a heated exchange of words with workers of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) who accused him of distributing extra postal ballots at the CPM’s behest.

Barman alleged that the subdivisional officer (SDO), Sonamura, Anindya Bhattacharya, yesterday had taken an EVM out of the strongroom “in an unauthorised manner” to train poll officials how to count votes.

Thousands of Congress workers laid siege to the town auditorium where the EVM was taken.

On getting information, four Congress leaders who are in the fray, rushed to the town to pacify the protesters.

For four days beginning Thursday, seats on all outgoing flights from Agartala have been booked.

“Even where there is the slightest possibility of a shift in balance of power following change of government, a threat perception prompts unwanted elements to flee. Almost simultaneously, those close to the new regime return,” an official of the Special Branch (intelligence wing) of state police said on condition of anonymity.