Two brave jawans of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) engaged in rescue operations lost their lives even as the state continued to battle the aftermath of relentless rains.

While Asish Bose of TSR was tragically swept away by a surging river during a mission in South Tripura’s Belonia, Chiranjit Deb, a jeep driver of the force, drowned in a bid to save three people in the Indranagar area of the West Tripura district on Friday.

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Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed profound sorrow over the loss of the two bravehearts and acknowledged their ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

He took to X to honour their memory, stating, “Deeply saddened by the loss of Ashish Bose (TSR Jawan from Belonia) & Chiranjit Dey (from Indiranagar), two brave fighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while saving others during Tripura floods. My deepest condolences to their families and friends. May their sacrifice continue to inspire us to strive for greater heights of courage and bravery.”

With these two recent fatalities, the death toll in the Tripura floods rose to 26.

CM Saha highlighted the relentless efforts of government officials and the Indian Air Force, who have been working round-the-clock to deliver essential supplies to the flood-affected areas.

The tragic loss has also drawn condolences from national leaders. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his anguish over the incident, saying, “Extremely pained to learn about the tragic loss of two brave jawans during the rescue operation in flood-hit Tripura. Their selfless service, courage, and sacrifice will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to their bereaved families. The nation stands with them in this difficult time.”

The floods have not only claimed lives but have also caused extensive damage to Tripura’s agriculture. A staggering 68,826 hectares of farmland have been either fully or partially destroyed, resulting in an estimated production loss of 2.43 lakh metric tons.

According to the state government, the initial assessment of the total damage to agriculture stands at Rs 532.25 crore.

A minister said over 1,41,406 farmers have faced significant losses due to the deluge, further compounding the state’s challenges as it seeks to recover from one of the most devastating floods in its recent history.