Violence Erupts After Tribal Woman Allegedly Sexually Assaulted In Bus In Tripura

A mob vandalised multiple vehicles and several people were injured after a tribal woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in a government bus in Bishramganj in Sepahijala district of Tripura on Tuesday.

Police sources said that the situation is under control and massive security cover has been put in place.

The woman, said police sources, was travelling from state capital Agartala to Sonamura when she was allegedly assaulted by an unidentified passenger in the packed vehicle.

By the time the bus reached Bishramganj, the suspected culprit had reportedly disembarked, police sources added.

The victim's brother alleged her sister was undergoing air hostess training in Guwahati and had flown into Agartala earlier in the day before boarding the bus home.

As news of the incident spread, a large crowd armed with sticks and rods gathered, attacking the bus and a few other vehicles.

Windshields were smashed, and shards of glass caused multiple cut injuries to passengers.

Superintendent of Police Sepahijala, Bijoy Debbarma, along with local police and paramilitary forces, initially struggled to contain the situation.

Additional forces led by IG (Law and Order) Ipper Monchak Dnyanoba were later deployed, bringing the situation under control after several hours.

However, tensions remained high, prompting the district administration to invoke Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, empowering Executive Magistrates to issue preventive orders to avert threats to public safety and order.

While some bus passengers denied witnessing any harassment, police said that an investigation is underway to find out the facts but suspect that rumors on social media may have inflamed the situation.

Authorities have urged the public not to spread unverified information or engage in violence, assuring that the matter is under active investigation.

The victim is currently hospitalised and receiving treatment.