By Rahul Namasudra, Tripura
Agartala, Aug 10: In less than two days, Tripura witnessed two separate tragedies that have shattered the very foundation of parental love — a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawan allegedly poisoning his one-year-old daughter and a mother suffocating her five-month-old infant.
The first incident reportedly took place on Saturday night in Khowai district’s Tulashikhar area, where Rathiendra Debbarma, a serving jawan of the Tripura State Rifles’ 10th Battalion, allegedly murdered his one-year-old daughter by mixing poison in a cold drink.
According to his wife, Mitali Debbarma, her husband took their infant daughter to a nearby shop under the pretext of buying something for her. Upon returning home, she alleged, the child began vomiting and a strong medicinal smell was noticed emanating from her.
When Mitali questioned her husband about the incident, she claims he physically assaulted her before fleeing the house with the dying child. The infant was reportedly rushed first to Khowai District Hospital and later referred to GB Pant Hospital here in Agartala, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
It is learned that her husband had been subjecting her to continuous physical and mental abuse for failing to produce a male heir. She alleged that the sole reason for the killing was the child’s gender.
News of the child’s death sparked immediate outrage at GB Hospital premises. Eyewitnesses reported that local people confronted the accused
TSR jawan, leading to a tense situation where private security guards detained him to prevent mob violence.
While speaking with News24, Sub-Inspector of GB Police Outpost Raju Baidya confirmed the arrest, saying, “After being informed, we reached the spot and took the accused into custody. Later, he was shifted to the Champahour Police Station, where a case has been registered against Rathiendra Debbarma. An investigation into the incident has been launched.”
However, before the community could process this shocking crime, another equally horrific incident unfolded on Sunday morning in Sonamura Sub-division.
Suchitra Debbarma allegedly suffocated her five-month-old daughter to death by pressing a pillow over her face in their family home at Rampada Para ADC Village.
According to sources, the second tragedy appears rooted in allegations of an extramarital affair between Suchitra and her husband’s uncle, Nirmal Debbarma. Family members said this relationship had reportedly created ongoing conflicts between Suchitra and her husband, Amit Debbarma, a rubber labourer.
Meanwhile, the situation allegedly deteriorated to the point where Amit refused to acknowledge the child as his legitimate child, creating unbearable domestic tension.
The mounting pressure from these disputes reportedly drove Suchitra to take the fatal step on Sunday morning. While household members initially became aware of the incident, they chose not to make it immediately public.
However, neighbours eventually realised what had happened and reported the matter to Sonamura Police Station in the afternoon.
Officer-in-Charge Tapash Das of Sonamura Police Station confirmed the arrest to News24, stating, “Today, at around 5 a.m., Suchitra Debbarma killed her five-month-old daughter by smothering her with a pillow inside her home. Preliminary investigation suggests she committed this heinous crime under the instigation of another person”.
“A murder case has been registered, with the deceased child’s grandfather as the complainant. We are investigating who instigated the act, and that person will be identified and brought under the law,” Das said.
