One killed in clashes over Durga Puja donation collection in Tripura

Agartala, Oct 7 : At least one person was killed and 17, including 15 cops were injured, in northern Tripura’s Kadamtala, where police opened fire in the air and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the mob after two religious communities clashed over the collection of Durga Puja donations, officials said on Monday.

Superintendent of Police, North Tripura District, Bhanupada Chakraborty confirming the death said that a body was recovered on Sunday night following the violent incidents but how the victim was killed is not yet confirmed.

“We are thoroughly investigating the entire episode of the attack and counterattacks. At least 17 people, including 15 police personnel were injured in Sunday’s incidents,” Chakraborty told IANS over the phone from Dharmanagar.

The district police chief said that the situation in Kadamtala is completely under control and police are taking appropriate action.

The district administration has clamped prohibitory orders at Kadamtala police station jurisdiction under the Dharmanagar sub-division and a large contingent of security forces, including Tripura State Rifles (TSR), were deployed at the mixed-populated Kadamtala areas adjoining southern Assam.

An official of the district administration said that the prohibitory orders were clamped on Sunday under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita at Kadamtala police station jurisdiction till Wednesday to control the situation and restore normalcy.

Another police official said that the dispute arose over the collection of Durga Puja donations, people of different communities attacked each other on Sunday leading to communal tension at Kadamtala.

The official said that the mob vandalised some shops and houses and the police resorted to lathi-charge several times and opened fire in the air to disperse them.

North Tripura district police in a post on the X said: “An incident related to law and order that occurred today under Kadamtala PS has been resolved with the intervention of religious leaders from both communities.”

“To further maintain peace in the area, Section 163 of the BNSS has been promulgated. We urge everyone to comply with this order, avoid gatherings, and refrain from spreading rumors or unverified information,” the district police said.

High tension prevailed in the entire Dharmanagar, the district headquarters of North Tripura district.

Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury talked to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and senior police officials about the situation. Chaudhury, also the CPI(M) state Secretary, requested the Chief Minister to deploy the Border Security Force and the Assam Rifles to control the situation.

Former Minister and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman criticising Chief Minister Manik Saha said on his Facebook post: “The chief minister was busy inaugurating a Durga Puja pandal in Agartala town till night when one people was killed in police firing and a bloody clash between two communities at Kadamtala market.” He appealed to both communities to maintain peace, normalcy and brotherhood.