Situation tense but under control in Tripura’s Kumarghat after clashes between 2 groups

AGARTALA: 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 vandalized 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. (IANS)

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