One year of Tripura Rath tragedy: Victims’ families still awaiting justice

Agartala, June 29: The accident of Rath Yatra in Tripura was probably the biggest tragedy of the last decade, when so many lives were lost altogether because of a careless act.

The date June 28, 2023, will always be remembered as the darkest day in the history of Kumarghat, a subdivision town in Tripura’s Unakoti district, when as many as ten people lost their lives and many suffered injuries after the top of the chariot carrying idols of Lord Jagannath came into contact with a high-tension electric wire.

As the year comes around and devotees are once again preparing to celebrate the Ratha Yatra, the families who had lost their dear ones are still waiting to see some action against those who were responsible for the incident.

Immediately after the incident, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha ordered a probe to find out who was responsible for the incident. A report was submitted; however, the findings were not satisfactory.

When the opposition bench raised the issue in the state assembly, CM Saha said that he had ordered another inquiry as the report was not satisfactory. He also promised the house that strict action would be taken against the people responsible for the incident as soon as the report reached him.

Since then, the matter has gradually disappeared from public discourse. The progress of the inquiry and whether the Chief Minister has received the final report are questions that have been left unanswered.

Speaking on the issue, Rintu Malakar, who lost his wife and son in the incident, said, “I have lost my wife and son in the tragic incident. I can never forget the sight when I was powerless to do anything for them. Today, one year has passed, and those who were responsible for the incident are roaming freely. The call for justice failed to generate a response.”

According to Malakar, the chariot was constructed unscientifically. “The height of the top was excessively high. Even in Puri Jagannath Dham, the chariots are constructed with wood so that such incidents could be avoided. But the whole body of the chariot in which the idols were being carried was built of iron,” he added. He also expressed his sharp disagreement with the ISKCON and held the religious outfit responsible for the ‘onslaught on humanity’.

An elderly lady who lost her daughter-in-law and granddaughter in the incident alleged that the government didn’t extend any assistance to their distressed family.

“One of my granddaughters and her mother died in the incident. Her sister suffered grave injuries, leading to the amputation of her hand. The ISKCON and state government officials visited our house and assured us helping financially. They also promised that the survivor child would receive all sorts of benefits for better education and treatment. In the last one year, I haven’t seen either side making any effort to keep the promises,” she lamented.