Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has ordered a probe into Monday’s alleged attack on his predecessor Manik Sarkar and other senior CPM leaders in South Tripura district and also sought the probe report within 48 hours.

A CMO official told The Telegraph that Deb has formed an inquiry committee to be headed by the South Tripura SP and asked him to submit his report within the deadline.

The inquiry was ordered despite senior minister Ratan Lal Nath dismissing the claims of the four-time chief minister at his daily media briefing hours after Sarkar called a press meet to reveal the attack on him by BJP-backed goons on Monday afternoon.

The alleged attack on Sarkar ironically came within a week of Deb claiming that the BJP-led state government has been able to end the culture of political violence in the state. Deb had last week also flayed the post-poll violence in Bengal.

Shantirbazar is about 18km from the district headquarters Belonia and about 82km from capital Agartala.

Sarkar, the incumbent Opposition leader, had told reporters in Agartala that they had gone to Shantirbazar in South Trioura to inquire about a recent attack on CPM workers but instead came under attack by a mob.

The former chief minister, who escaped unhurt, claimed they were attacked with eggs, stones, bottles and sticks "in front" of policemen even though he had informed the director-general of police about their visit to the area, adding that the police personnel at the site had asked them to turn back fearing a law and order situation but the CPM team walked to the house of the party worker.

The BJP-IPFT alliance had ended the Left Front’s 25-year rule in 2018.