A student was shot dead and several people, including nine security personnel, were injured in a clash between agitators and the security forces at Mandai in west Tripura.A group of tribal people demanding withdrawal of a local camp of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) assembled at Mandai started pelting stones on security personnel, who in retaliation used tear gas shells and resorted to lathi charge.Nine police personnel, including three officers, and some agitators were injured in the clash. Condition of three security personnel and two agitators was stated to be serious.Two people, including the school student, sustained bullet injuries. The 16-year-old school student Budhu Debbarma later succumbed to his injuries.

The police is yet to confirm how the student sustained bullet injuries. However, they said that after the clash between the security forces and the agitators, sounds of firing was heard at the place of the incident. Meanwhile, family members of the victim alleged that he was killed following police firing.The opposition Congress and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) have demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The ruling CPI(M), however, claimed that in view of the coming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the INPT had started creating trouble with the help of militants.

Tension ran high in the entire tribal-dominated area and senior police officials have rushed to the spot while additional security forces have been deployed.

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