Cases registered, forces deployed after mosque, shops vandalised in Tripura: Cops

A section of protesting VHP members allegedly vandalised a mosque at Chamtilla and then moved towards Rowa Bazar, nearly 800 yards away. There, they allegedly ransacked three houses, as many shops and set two shops on fire in Panisagar sub-division.

Hours after a mosque, few houses and shops were vandalised at Panisagar area in Tripura on Tuesday evening, police registered two complaints and imposed prohibitory orders in a few areas, a senior police officer said on Wednesday, adding that no arrest was made till late evening.

A car damaged in Tripura's North district after violence broke out followed by a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally, in Dharmanagar on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)(ANI)

“We have deployed security personnel in the area. There is no report of any untoward incident till now. The local administration has imposed Section 144 (CrPC) at Panisagar and Dharmanagar sub-divisions,” said North Tripura district superintendent of police (SP) Bhanupada Chakraborty. On Wednesday, administration conducted peace meetings in various sensitive areas of the district.

According to the police, a protest rally was organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Panisagar area on Tuesday evening. A section of protesting VHP members allegedly vandalised a mosque at Chamtilla and then moved towards Rowa Bazar, nearly 800 yards away. There, they allegedly ransacked three houses, as many shops and set two shops on fire in Panisagar sub-division, police added.

Rowa Bazar is nearly 40 km from India-Bangladesh international border. Soon after the incident, Panisagar sub-divisional police officer Souvik Dey said there was no report of anyone getting injured.

Tripura police also issued a clarification on Twitter, saying: “Certain persons by using fake social media IDs are spreading fake news/rumours on Tripura. It is informed that law & order situation in the State is absolutely normal.”

“During yesterday’s protest rally in Panisagar, North Tripura, no masjid was burnt and the pictures being shared of burning or damaged masjid or collection of sticks etc are all fake and are not from Tripura. They may be of some countries.”

Former chief minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Manik Sarkar on Wednesday said the VHP had organised a few protest rallies in different parts of Tripura against the violence during Durga Puja in Bangladesh. “Few provocative programmes including one at Chamtilla in Panisagar happened, which is condemnable. I appeal to all sections of people to maintain ancient communal unity and integrity. I also request police and administration to take active role on incidents.”

Spokesperson of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nabendu Bhattacharya said, “The percentage of minority in our state is very less and therefore, there should not be any chance of communal violence. We believe that the CPI(M) has a role behind such violent incidents. Their agenda is to create unrest in the state.”