Tripura Cricket Association's factional rivalry forces deployment of police personnel in cricket body office

The factional dispute between two rival factions of the Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) took an ugly turn on Saturday with both rival groups aggressively accusing each other of corruption and illegal activities.

In view of the huge tension and possible clashes, a huge contingent of police have been deployed at the TCA office here as a precautionary measure.

Former captain of the state cricket team Timir Chanda, the incumbent Vice-President of TCA, claimed that he along with Secretary Tapash Ghosh were physically assaulted by members of other factions while entering the association building.

"We were driven out from the TCA offices by a 'group of miscreants' on Saturday. They have done this at the behest of 'former' TCA president Tapan Lodh," both Chanda and Ghosh claimed.

Ghosh, in a notification on Saturday night, said: "Apex Council of Tripura Cricket Association has disqualified Tapan Lodh as President of Tripura Cricket Association in its meeting on July 19 as per the association's rules and regulations. Accordingly, Tapan Lodh is no longer President of Tripura Cricket Association."

The two factions of the state cricket body are led by TCA 'President' Tapan Lodh and Secretary Tapas Ghosh.

Ghosh claimed that the lock of the TCA building was illegally broken by the 'recently removed' Lodh and his followers, leading to concerns about potential ill intentions and the safety of important documents.

Lodh and his supporters reportedly broke the lock of the TCA building in the presence of Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sadar.

Amid the allegations and counter allegations, 'a general body meeting' of TCA led by Lodh was held where it was decided to conduct an inquiry into the "irregularities" of installations of four big floodlights at the MBB cricket stadium.

Lodh in a letter to the Home Secretary of the Tripura government demanded to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Tripura police to conduct a probe into the "irregularities".

Lodh, however, denied any official notification of his removal from the post of TCA President and argued that his position cannot be revoked as per law.

Lodh said that he would inform the whole episode to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) soon.

Criticising the open wrangling of the two factions of the TCA, former Tripura cricket team's senior member Manimoy Roy said that Tripura cricket team achieved various feats at the national level earlier, but such open squabbling not only very unfortunate, but such development would harm the prospects of the state cricket team in future.