GUWAHATI: The defacement of a Kali idol sparked communal tension in Tripura’s Jirania, prompting the authorities to enforce prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the entire Jirania sub-division.
The idol was desecrated at a temple in Koitorabari village of Jirania and it led to violence on Sunday night. The miscreants torched nine houses and 11 vehicles. Four to five persons also sustained minor injuries during clashes.
In an order, district magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar said the administration received information that there was an apprehension of breach of peace due to violent activities of a group of people under the Jirania sub-division.
“…I…hereby prohibit assembly of 5 or more people with or without arms in entire Jirania sub-division from 1 am of 26.08 2024 to 1 am of 28.08.2024,” the order read. The district police said no new incident of violence was reported on Monday and that, the situation was constantly being monitored.
Jirania, located 10 km from the state capital Agartala, has a mixed population, including Hindus and Muslims. Sub-divisional police officer Kamal Krishna Kalai told TNIE that people started swarming to the temple at dusk on Sunday when the news about the idol’s desecration spread.
He said local communities held a meeting and it concluded with a decision that they would meet again on Monday to find out what they could do. Kalai said a police team had rushed to the site on receiving a report on the incident. “We found two groups of people and they were agitated. We somehow managed to bring the situation under control. However, at around 11:30 pm, the miscreants torched the houses and the vehicles,” he said.
Some locals alleged the miscreants had barged into their houses, damaged furniture before resorting to arson.
Tripura Police said security had been beefed up in the area. They urged people to refrain from spreading rumours. Local MLA and minister Sushanta Chowdhury, who visited the site, appealed to people to maintain calm and communal harmony.