Police were forced to open fire in the air and resort to lathi-charge to disperse violent mobs in Dharmanagar, Tripura, on Sunday. The clashes erupted over the collection of Durga puja donations, involving members of two religious communities.
Reports indicate that many individuals from both sides were injured during the confrontations. In response, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders in the Kadamtala police station jurisdiction under the Dharmanagar sub-division. A significant deployment of security forces, including the Tripura State Rifles (TSR), has been stationed in the mixed-populated areas adjacent to southern Assam.
An official from the district administration stated that the prohibitory orders, enacted under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, will remain in effect until Wednesday. This measure aims to control the situation and restore normalcy.
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The police reported that the initial tensions arose during the donation collection for Durga puja, leading to attacks between community members. Mobs vandalized shops and houses, prompting multiple rounds of lathi-charge by police.
“Legal action will be taken against those involved in the violence,” said a police official.
In a post on X, the North Tripura district police announced that the law and order situation under Kadamtala PS had been resolved with the intervention of religious leaders from both communities. They urged residents to comply with the prohibitory orders, avoid gatherings, and refrain from spreading rumors.
Despite these measures, high tension remains in Dharmanagar, the district headquarters of North Tripura.
Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury reached out to Chief Minister Manik Saha and senior police officials to discuss the situation. Chaudhury, who also serves as the CPI-M state Secretary, has called for the deployment of the Border Security Force and the Assam Rifles to help restore order.