AGARTALA: In a tragic and deeply shocking development, Tripura’s Director General of Police (DGP), 1994-batch IPS officer Anurag Dhankar, passed away on Monday inside the State Police Headquarters on Akhaura Road, Agartala. The news of his sudden death has sent shockwaves across administrative and political circles, giving rise to intense speculation regarding the exact cause of the incident.
Ground Reality: What Transpired at Police Headquarters?
According to preliminary administrative and hospital reports, the top police official entered the washroom adjoining his official chamber at around 11:00 AM. When he did not emerge for a considerable period, police personnel and staff at the headquarters forced open the door around 11:40 AM and found him in a non-responsive, critical state.
He was immediately rushed to the Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital at around 12:00 PM. Dr. Pradip Bhowmik, Head of the Department of Medicine at GBP Hospital, stated that when the DGP arrived, vital signs—including pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory response—were completely absent. Despite the medical team performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for over 48 minutes, doctors could not revive him and officially declared him dead at 12:48 PM.
Suicide Suspected; Post-Mortem Report Awaited
While initial media rumors speculated a sudden, severe medical collapse or cardiac emergency, initial official briefings and administrative inputs—including statements from Chief Minister’s Secretary Kiran Gitte—indicate that primary reports point toward a suspected case of suicide.
Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who holds the Home portfolio, rushed to the police headquarters and later expressed deep shock and grief, acknowledging that the officer was found in a critical condition in his chamber washroom.
The state police administration has registered a case of unnatural death and launched a formal investigation. Hospital authorities confirmed that the exact and conclusive cause of death will only be established following a detailed post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, leaders across the political spectrum have expressed condolences while demanding a thorough and transparent probe into the circumstances leading up to the senior IPS officer’s tragic demise.
