The main opposition Congress Wednesday organised protest rallies across Tripura demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into a triple murder at a newspaper office here last month.
"The ruling CPI-M leaders have been influencing the police authorities to protect the culprits...without a CBI inquiry the real culprits would not be punished," Tripura Congress chief Sudip Roy Barman told reporters.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), in a statement, denied the Congress allegations.
Congress leaders said they had submitted memoranda to all police stations in the Left-ruled northeastern state in support of their demand.
"Our agitation would continue until the Left Front government hands over the case to the CBI," Barman said.
Police have so far arrested Sushil Choudhury, 73, editor-cum-owner of Bengali daily Dainik Ganadoot, and Niyoti Ghosh, wife of slain driver Balaram Ghosh, in connection with the murder of three employees of the newspaper in its office May 19.
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A Tripura court has sent Choudhury and Niyoti to judicial custody.
A police officer involved in the investigation said: "The killings might be related to property or illicit affairs. These are not relating to the editorial policy of the newspaper or any news stories."
Niyoti's husband, manager Ranjit Choudhury, a former Border Security Force trooper, and proof reader Sujit Bhattacharjee were murdered by two assailants in the newspaper office.