Agartala, Sep 7 (IANS): Thousands of people from different walks of life on Wednesday took part in anti-war rallies across Tripura to protest against the Second World War and to support world peace.

The main anti-war rally was held in Agartala, where political leaders, professionals, artists, singers, performers, academicians, students, journalists, and government and non-government employees as well as social activists in their thousands marched through the streets of the state capital displaying anti-war placards. 

Tripura Chief Minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Manik Sarkar led the rally where physically challenged persons also participated.

CPI-M Lok Sabha member Sankar Prasad Datta, one of the convenors of the anti-war rally organising committee, said: "During the Second World War (1939 to 1945), over five crore people were killed and assets of enormous extent spoiled. Normally, we organise this anti-war rally on September 1, but due to various reasons the rally was organised today (Wednesday)."

He said that during World War II, the United States dropped atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, resulting in horrific casualties and devastation. 

"Nearly 200,000 people died in the bombings and their immediate aftermath," Datta added.

The participants, including the young, old and women, sang anti-war songs during the rally while 14 tableaux highlighting the affects of war were also put on display. 

Similar anti-war rallies were taken out in sub-divisional and district headquarters in Tripura on Wednesday.