Tripura's Director General of Police on Friday, 25 July 2025, constituted a three-member probe team to investigate the 'mysterious' death of former Director General of Police Anurag, whose body was discovered under unexplained circumstances at the State Police Headquarters in Agartala on 20 July 2025. The move comes amid mounting political pressure for a judicial inquiry into the death of Tripura's senior-most Indian Police Service officer.

Composition of the Probe Team

According to an official order issued by the DGP's office, Superintendent of Police (West Tripura) Namit Pathak will head the investigation. He will be assisted by Additional Superintendent of Police (Urban), West Tripura, Dhruba Nath, and Sub-Inspector Subhojit Deb, who is already handling the registered 'Unnatural Death' case.

The order further empowers the SP (West) to co-opt additional officers from the Tripura Police Crime Branch or any other unit if required. For technical matters, the team may seek support from the Cyber Crime Unit of the Tripura Police Crime Branch. Weekly progress reports are to be submitted to the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Tripura, for the DGP's review.

Circumstances of the Death

Anurag's body was found in the washroom attached to his official chamber at the State Police Headquarters, Agartala, on 20 July 2025. The exact cause of death has not been officially disclosed, and the circumstances remain under investigation. Authorities have described the death as 'mysterious', a characterisation that has fuelled public and political concern.

He was cremated with full state honours on Wednesday, 22 July, at his ancestral town of Baraut in Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh. His son, Abhishek, lit the funeral pyre at the cremation ground near Bawli Chungi on the Delhi-Saharanpur Highway, in the presence of family members, senior police officers, and hundreds of mourners. The Uttar Pradesh Police accorded a ceremonial guard of honour to Anurag in recognition of his distinguished service.

Tributes from Senior Officials

Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister Manik Saha, several state ministers, Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha, Home Secretary Abhishek Singh, acting DGP G.S. Rao, and numerous senior civil, police, and security officials paid their last respects to Anurag in Agartala on Tuesday, 21 July.

Opposition Demands Judicial Probe

The opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Indian National Congress, and several other political parties have demanded a judicial inquiry monitored by a sitting judge of the Tripura High Court to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the death. The Left parties and the Congress separately organised protest rallies in Tripura pressing for such a probe.

Critics argue that an internal police investigation — however structured — may not satisfy the public's demand for independent accountability in the death of the state's own police chief.

Background: Who Was Anurag

A 1994-batch IPS officer of the Tripura cadre, Anurag had taken charge as Tripura's DGP on 17 May 2025, succeeding Amitabh Ranjan, a 1988-batch IPS officer. Before assuming the top post, he served as Director General of Police (Intelligence), Tripura. His death, barely two months into his tenure as the state's top cop, has added to the gravity of the case.

As the probe team begins its work, the central question — whether the death was accidental, a result of foul play, or otherwise — remains publicly unanswered. The weekly reporting structure signals that authorities are under pressure to show visible progress.