Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: The Tripura High Court ordered a Crime Branch investigation into the theft of three kilograms of gold. This intervention follows claims that local officers refused to document the crime despite multiple attempts. The complainants first tried the Bishalgarh Police Station, then the Sonamura Police Station. Both stations turned them away.
A formal written complaint reached the office of the Superintendent of Police on February 28. It was received on March 3, but the police never registered an FIR. Advocate Shankar Lodh, representing the petitioners, argued that the facts could warrant charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He questioned the lengthy delay in such a significant theft case.
Witnesses reported a vehicle carrying materials entered the police station twice. Complainants were denied access to observe these events. The petition demands an FIR against the Officer-in-Charge of the Bishalgarh Police Station and two other staff members. Sepahijala Superintendent of Police Bijay Debbarma previously assigned an Additional SP to investigate, but the complainants claimed this effort stalled. Advocate Shankar Lodh stated, "Advocate Shankar Lodh, representing the petitioners, argued that provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita could apply depending on the facts established, and questioned why police action was delayed in a case involving such a substantial quantity of gold."
The High Court mandate requires the case to be registered and handed to a competent Crime Branch officer. The court expects an independent probe to reveal if the police failures were simple mistakes or intentional misconduct.
Updated at 20th August 2026 at 5:48am
The case centers on an incident from February 21 involving Billal Mia, a resident of Melaghar. Mia claims he was traveling to Agartala with 2.78 kilograms of gold when Bishalgarh police stopped his vehicle and seized the metal. He filed his writ petition with the High Court on March 18 after local stations refused his reports.
The court clarified that its directive to register an FIR and launch a probe does not serve as a finding of guilt against the officers involved. The investigation aims to determine the facts of the interception and track the status of the gold. Police have yet to offer a formal response to these specific allegations.
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