Tripura CM says DGP Anurag Dhankar's death was suicide, probe on

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday told the Assembly that Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar’s death was “suicidal in nature”, citing the post-mortem report. He made the statement after Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury raised the issue and sought a probe by a sitting high court judge into the unnatural death.

Dhankar, a 1994-batch IPS officer of the Tripura cadre, was found dead in his office at the police headquarters on July 20. Saha said an impartial investigation was under way, while the government had already set up a high-level committee to conduct an in-depth inquiry.

The issue led to a heated exchange in the House. When Speaker Rampada Jamatia tried to stop Chaudhury from raising the matter, CPI(M) legislators rushed to the well of the House and raised slogans, disrupting proceedings. The stalemate continued for a few minutes before Saha stood up and said he was ready to make a statement.

"The post-mortem report indicates the death of the DGP was by hanging and suicidal in nature. The report has become part of the evidence in connection with the case. An impartial probe is on," Saha said.

He also said the government had constituted a high-level committee headed by West Tripura district SP Namit Pathak to investigate the case.

Senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman then said no one could disclose a post-mortem report in the Assembly as it was important evidence in the investigation. Saha rejected the contention and said a chief minister or minister could make a suo motu statement in the Assembly on an investigation into a high-profile case.

"Findings or the post-mortem report of any particular case can be shared or tabled in the Assembly for the cause of the people. We have shown our commitment to transparency by making a statement suo motu on a high-profile case," he said.

The discussion in the Assembly centred on the circumstances of Dhankar’s death, the ongoing inquiry, and the government’s decision to place details from the post-mortem report before the House as opposition members pressed for a judicial probe.