Agartala, June 29: In a prompt response to recent unrest followed by a death in an accident at Chelikhola under Sepahijala district, Tripura Police arrested five individuals on Friday for their involvement in vandalism of two police vehicles on Thursday night.

The arrested individuals are Rakesh Barman, Yusuf Nabi, Gopal Banik, Abhijit Barman, and Dipankar Barman. They were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.

The disturbance began on Thursday night when a motorcycle collided with a speeding vehicle allegedly involved in sugar smuggling, resulting in the rider's death and injuring the passenger.
 
The tragic event sparked outrage among local villagers, who blocked the road in protest against both the accident and ongoing sugar smuggling activities. The protest quickly escalated, leading to the vandalism of two police vehicles.

To restore order, SDPO Bishalgarh Panna Lal Sen, along with OC Rana Chatterjee and additional police forces, arrived at the scene and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the agitated crowd. The situation intensified further when protesters began throwing stones.

In the meantime, Additional SP Sepahijala Rajib Sutradhar arrived with reinforcements, successfully dispersing the mob and stabilizing the situation.

Local MLA Sushanta Deb later visited the scene, calling for stringent measures to curb sugar smuggling and stringent action against those involved in the attack incident.