Agartala, Sep 23 (IANS) The opposition Congress in Tripura on Monday took out a protest rally and surrounded the Tripura Police headquarters over the "deteriorating law and order situation", while also demanding strict action against the perpetrators who are involved in a series of crimes including lynching.

The Congress leaders also threatened to carry out 'thana gherao' agitation in the coming days if the government and the police fail to take care of the law and order situation.

Thousands of Congress leaders, party members and workers, including women, participated in the rally, and later organised sit-in demonstrations in front of the police headquarters.

Later, a 7-member Congress delegation led by state party president Asish Kumar Saha met Director General of Police Amitabha Ranjan and apprised him about the rising crimes against women, children, innocent people, besides the opposition party members and supporters.

After meeting the DGP, Saha claimed that a "fascist rule" is going on in Tripura under the governance of the BJP.

Quoting the police records, the Congress leader said that every month, at least eight heinous murders of innocent people take place in the state.

"There are rampant lynching of innocent people, assaults on women, attacks on the common people and opposition party supporters. Voters were not allowed to exercise their franchise in the recently-held Panchayat elections. Many opposition party candidates were not allowed to contest and those who contested had to undergo harrowing torture in many places. People have lost faith in the government and police authority," the state Congress chief told the media.

He said: "We have asked the DGP to make sure that strict action is taken against the perpetrators, murderers, rapists and maintain a proper law and order situation, otherwise we will launch statewide agitation soon."

Accusing the police of being a "puppet and wooden doll" under the dictate of the leaders of ruling BJP, Saha urged the police to maintain their rule of law impartially and have the administration work without the culprits being shielded politically.

The Congress leaders also alleged that the BJP government had been harbouring corruption and claimed that a section of senior party leaders were hand in gloves in unethical activities.

Monday's agitation was led by Saha, AICC Secretary and in-charge of Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland and Sikkim M. Christopher Tilak, former minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Sudip Roy Barman, former state Congress Presidents, Gopal Roy, Pijush Kanti Biswas, Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl among others.