Agartala: Security personnel 'lathicharged' Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) activists when they intercepted the car and 'gheraoed' Tripura Commerce Minister Pabitra Kar in West Tripura district, police said.

A few of the agitators suffered minor injuries in the 'lathicharge', the police said.

The activists of INPT, an ally of the Congress, intercepted the Minister's vehicle at Naba SardarPara village on February 18, seeking the release of a tribal youth from police custody and 'gheraoed' the Minister when Kar expressed his inability to interfere in the matter.

Kar, who is contesting from Khairpur seat, was campaigning in the district.

One person has been detained in this connection, the police said.

Sridam Debbarma, an INPT leader and executive member of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) alleged that 23 persons, including women, were injured in the 'lathicharge'.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has condemned the incident and demanded arrest of the culprits.

PTI