A day after clashes broke out between two communities over the collection of subscriptions for a local fair, the situation remained tense but calm in the Kumarghat subdivision of Tripura’s Unakoti district on Sunday, police said.
A senior police official in Agartala said that the police on Saturday detained 10 persons from both communities.
The official added that on Sunday, the police arrested seven of the detainees and presented them at a local court, seeking police custody.
A huge contingent of Assam Rifles, Tripura State Rifles (TSR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police were deployed in the trouble-torn areas.
“The security forces led by senior officials are conducting regular patrolling and closely watching the situation. There has been no fresh incident since Saturday night,” Additional Superintendent of Police of Unakoti district Rupam Chakma told the media.
He said that if anyone spreads any rumour or fake photos and videos, stern action would be taken against the individual and the group.
Another police official said that additional security forces were also deployed in mixed-populated areas and at religious places.
Prohibitory orders were also imposed in Kumarghat subdivision of Unakoti district on Saturday after clashes broke out between two communities over the collection of subscriptions for a local fair, leaving at least five to six persons injured and a few houses and properties gutted, officials said.
Internet services have also been suspended across the Kumarghat Sub-Division for 48 hours as a precautionary measure.
In a letter to the District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police (SP), Unakoti district, requested the shutdown of all internet services, stating that a sudden and serious law-and-order situation erupted in the Fatikroy police station area following communal violence. “The shutdown of all internet services has been necessitated as a precautionary measure to control the law-and-order situation by restricting the spread of false propaganda and messages,” the SP said in the letter.
According to police, trouble began on Saturday when a group of youths stopped a timber-laden vehicle at Saidarpar under Fatikroy police station limits and demanded a subscription for a community fair.
Tension escalated after a minority family in the Shimultala area allegedly refused to contribute, following which an unruly mob gathered and set fire to a few houses, vehicles and properties, including a timber shop, and vandalised a place of worship.
The situation quickly turned volatile as news of the incident spread across the mixed-population locality.
Following incidents of arson, vandalism and damage to properties, including a place of worship, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Kumarghat imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, to prevent further escalation of tension and maintain law and order.
Acting Superintendent of Police Avinash Rai, accompanied by District Magistrate Tamal Majumder and other senior officials, rushed to the affected areas with additional forces and reviewed the security arrangements.
On the extent of the damage, the police official said a detailed assessment is being carried out by district administration officials.
Police and central paramilitary forces conducted flag marches even as tension prevailed in some pockets of the area.
The situation remains under close surveillance, and authorities have appealed to the public to maintain peace and refrain from spreading rumours.
Meanwhile, state BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee, state Congress President Ashis Kumar Saha, and Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) state Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury separately condemned the violence and appealed for peace and calm.
Senior Congress leader and former minister Birajit Sinha, along with Unakoti district Congress president Md. Badruzzaman, on Sunday went to visit the incident site to assess the situation.
However, when they attempted to interact with the affected minority families and conduct an on-the-spot inspection, they were allegedly prevented by the police administration, triggering serious allegations.
Against this backdrop, the Congress leaders claimed that they were stopped by the authorities when they went to stand in solidarity with the affected families on Sunday.
Condemning the incident in strong words, Sinha, also a Congress MLA from the nearby areas, termed it a “violation of democratic rights.”
“If speaking to ordinary citizens who have fallen victim to violence is treated as a crime, then nothing called democracy remains in the state. The question arises as to whose interests the administration is trying to protect by suppressing the truth,” Sinha told the media.
10 people arrested in connection with communal violence in Tripura’s Unakoti
Ten people were arrested in connection with the communal clashes in Tripura’s Unakoti district, police said on Sunday.
The violence happened on Saturday in Saidarpar in the Kumarghat sub-division over the collection of ‘chanda’ or subscription for a local temple, they said.
Superintendent of Police Avinash Kumar Rai told PTI that no fresh violence has been reported, with paramilitary forces conducting foot patrolling in the sensitive areas.
“Ten people have been arrested for their alleged link to the violence. Prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita remain in force in the area, and internet service continues to remain suspended. We will review the situation in due course and decide if the restrictions can be eased, he said. Rai said four police personnel were injured in the clashes, apart from six civilians.
Congress legislature party leader Birajit Sinha alleged that he was stopped from visiting the violence-affected area.
“We were going to meet the affected villagers at Saidarpar after yesterday’s clashes, but were prevented by the police, who cited security reasons. I strongly protest this,” he told the reporters.
Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury slammed the BJP-led government, alleging that it failed to protect the lives and properties of people of the minority community.
“When Kumarghat was burning, the chief minister was busy leading a roadshow in Kanchanpur in North Tripura. He has not made any statement against the communal violence,” he said.
Stat BJP president Rajib Bhattacharjee condemned the violence and lauded the role of the police for taking action against the perpetrators.