North Tripura Driver Found Dead After Four-Day Disappearance; One Detained

Agartala, Oct 26 : A 32-year-old vehicle driver was found dead in North Tripura's Dhupirbond area after remaining untraceable for four days, triggering tension in the locality, with police detaining one person for questioning following allegations of physical assault.

The deceased, identified as Shihab Uddin, was a resident of Ward No. 5 under Dhupirbond Gram Panchayat in the Yubarajnagar Assembly constituency. According to his family, he went missing after leaving home with his vehicle four days ago.

His relatives said they could not contact him during the period, adding that he was reportedly not carrying a mobile phone.

Family members alleged that Shihab had been staying at the residence of Ichub Ali, a resident of Ward No. 3 in the same village, while he remained untraceable.

According to the family, an unidentified e-rickshaw driver dropped Shihab near Ali's residence on the evening of the incident. They claimed that he returned home with bleeding injuries to his nose and mouth and appeared to be in a distressed condition.

The family further alleged that Shihab named Ali before his death and claimed that he had been physically assaulted. These allegations have not been independently verified, and the circumstances leading to his death remain unclear.

Following the incident, local residents gathered in the area and reportedly detained the suspect before handing him over to the police. Reports also suggested that some residents allegedly manhandled him before police intervened and took him into custody.

The incident has raised concerns in the locality, with some residents alleging a possible connection between the death and suspected illegal narcotics activities. However, no such link has been officially established, and the allegations remain unverified.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Dharmanagar District Hospital for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of death.

Investigators said the post-mortem report and other evidence would be crucial in establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident. They cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation was completed.

Police have initiated legal proceedings in connection with the case and are questioning the detained individual.

Officials said investigators were examining all aspects of the incident, including the family's allegations, Shihab's disappearance and the circumstances in which he returned home with injuries.

Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation and the post-mortem examination, they added.