Tripura: Prohibitory orders imposed in Kadamtala after communal clash over Durga Puja donations

The Tripura government clamped prohibitory order 163 or Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in North District's Kadamtala region after two communities clashed over forceful collection of Durga Puja subscription.

The Dharmanagar Sub-division of Tripura's North District, in an order said that the information received from North Tripura's Superintendent of Police (SP) provided sufficient grounds for imposing a restriction on movement of public at Kadamtala PS Jurisdiction areas.

The order reads, "NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sajal Debnath, TCS, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Dharmanagar, North Tripura in exercise of power conferred under section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 hereby pass order to prohibit any kind of assembly consisting of five or more person with or without weapons or weapon like objects such as lathi, sticks, iron rods, bamboos, stones or any object which may be used as weapon of offence and also hereby prohibit holding of any public meeting, rally gathering, public address with or without use of loudspeakers, plying of vehicles/ motor bike not more than two together on the road etc. Anywhere around the Kadamtala PS Jurisdiction area of Dharmanagar Sub- Division of North Tripura with following restrictions from October 06 to October 9."

Police sources reported that a family from the Muslim minority community in the Kadamtala area was travelling to Silchar for medical treatment.

"While on their way to Assam, they were stopped by a Durga Puja organiser who demanded a hefty sum of money, leading to a heated altercation and a scuffle. Following the incident, a group of Muslim minority members staged a protest in front of the police station, demanding action against the Puja organiser. Based on their complaint, one person was arrested," said a police officer.

The officer further informed that, in the meantime, some miscreants escalated the situation, leading to an attack on the market, with shops being vandalized and set on fire, which worsened the situation.

"We have deployed the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Tripura State Rifles, and Tripura Police to maintain law and order. We had to resort to a mild lathi charge to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control," he said.

Following the situation some security force also came under attack.