AGARTALA, Jan 23 ? The Election Commission has removed the IGP (Law and order) TK Sanyal from his present posting following allegation from the opposition parties in the State. The Opposition parties Congress, its ally INPT and other political parties alleged that Sanyal was working at the instance of the ruling Left Front, and he might use the police and other armed force under his charge TSR, against the Opposition party workers. They had also submitted a memorandum demanding his removal when CEC JM Lyngdoh visit the State on January 16 last. He was recently brought to the post in place of MS Bali, former CBI chief in Delhi. IGP Bali now looks after the intelligence network of the State Sanyal, once considered a ?blue eyed boy? of former Left Front Chief Minister Nripen Chakrabarty, had in early eighties hit headlines over the killings of seven Naxals at Hurua village in North Tripura alleged in a fake encounter. Since then the Hurua stigma kept on tailing Sanyal despite his reputation of a tough and efficient cop and he was always seen with suspicion of being a Left Front supporting officer all along.
The removal of Sanyal from the post of IGP (law and order) a key post in regards to force, deployment, operations as well as running the police stations throughout the state, is considered a severe jolt to the State Government. Only recently, in the wake of the similar allegations the election Commission removed five civil officials including the joint Chief Electoral Officer, Nepal Sen from election related duties.
In view of the EC order last night while Sanyal was forthwith relieved from his present posting, ADG Pranay Sahay was entrusted with the task of law and order. Sanyal will, however, remain in charge armed forces. The tea industry in the State has suffered yet another blow due to the strike called by the Tea Traders Association in protest against the Amendment of tea (Marketing) Control Order 1986.
Tea Association of India (TAI) secretary P K Sarkar said, the auction centres at both Guwahati and Kolkata have been forced to stop auctioning by the Tea traders Association till January 18 next as a result of which huge amount of Tripura tea has been lying unsold in several warehouses for the last three weeks. ?As a result of the agitation, most of the 54 tea gardens in the State are unable to meet statutory liabilities of the workers like payment of wages and other,? Sakar said.
It may be mentioned here that the bulk tea buyers across the country are disappointed with the Union Commerce Ministry?s order asking them to abide by Tea Marketing Control Order 2003 which had led to stop functioning of the auction centres at Siliguri, Kolkata, Guwahati, Cochi, Coimbatore and Kunoor. Sarkar said, the new marketing order makes it mandatory for all buyers to enroll with the Tea and provide details on their returns and purchase of tea every fortnight. If the buyers continue their agitation, it will affect about 250 tea gardens in both Tripura and Cachar district of Assam, he felt.