Agartala, Nov. 14: At a time when the region is rife with protests against excesses by security forces on civilians, the gangrape of three tribal women in Tripura allegedly by CRPF jawans has triggered fresh furore.

Senior INPT leader Shabda Kumar Jamatya has alleged that a group of CRFP jawans based in Teliamura had gone for special search operations in Debtabari village following reports that All Tripura Tiger Force militants were camping in the area.

After ransacking the houses and indiscriminately beating up tribal civilians, the CRPF jawans took three tribal women to the nearby jungle at gun-point. All three women were gangraped by the jawans. The women returned to the village but did not file any complaint with the police.

When a delegation of INPT leaders visited Debtabari village yesterday, it was informed of the rape. Jamatya said the CRPF jawans had seriously injured eight tribal youths. ?The women, initially reluctant to disclose the incident for fear of a scandal, told us everything,? said Jamatya. A complaint was then registered with the Teliamura police station.

Another complaint will be filed with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

He also denounced the Manik Sarkar government for not constituting a state unit of the human rights commission for looking into rights abuses.

On whether Gogoi?s decision to skip iftar gatherings could be construed as turning his back on the Muslim leadership, the aide said the ruling Congress was not worried about any such possibility. ?Politics and philanthropy go hand in hand, provided the right balance is struck. We are trying to do the same.?

Assembly elections are due in early 2006, but a section of the Congress is in favour of preponing the poll by some months.