Agartala: The BJP on Tuesday gheraoed 69 out of 77 police stations in different Assembly constituencies of Tripura to protest "deteriorating law and order" in Left-ruled Tripura.

"They protested murder of political leaders," BJP spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said, adding that the BJP had asked police to work impartially without fear or favour.

Addressing the media at the BJP's headquarters, Chakraborty said over 43,000 protesters were arrested after the gherao.

The superintendent of police (police control), Pradip De, said later in the evening that around 20,000 protesters were arrested.

BJP leaders said the party had filed over 450 FIRs at different police stations in the past few months, but the police had taken steps in only five cases.

Chakraborty claimed that over 9,000 people accused of different crimes were reported missing in the state.

There were reports on turf war between two factions of the BJP at Dharmanagar in North Tripura district, over 150km from here.

According to a source, an expelled BJP leader created a ruckus at the party's office in Dharmanagar, which soon grew into a turf war against supporters of sitting MLA Biswabandhu Sen.

Chakraborty said Sourav Goswami, a BJP youth leader and president of the party's district committee, was expelled for "anti-party activities".

He declined to comment on alleged factional feud.

Earlier this morning, the body of a CPM supporter was found at Hariamuni Para under Longtrai valley sub-division in Dhalai district, over 120km from here.

SP Pradip De said a bullet wound was found on the body. The victim was identified as Shankhajoy Tripura, 48. The police suspect he was killed on Monday night.

Sudip Dutta Bhowmik, 50, a senior journalist was shot dead allegedly by a Tripura State Rifles 2nd Battalion rifleman during an altercation with the battalion's commandant inside the unit's headquarters in West Tripura district on November 21.