GUWAHATI: Tensions flared up in Tripura’s Unakoti district on Saturday when a protest against Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent.
Official sources said six to seven police personnel sustained minor injuries during stone pelting by the protestors.
Hundreds of Muslims had taken out a rally from Tilabazar in Unakoti district to register their protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The violence erupted when they broke police barricades to go towards Kailasahar.
“A procession was taken out and our strategy was to keep them within the Irani area which has a Muslim majority population. Kailasahar is a communally-sensitive area. Some people tried to move towards Kailasahar by breaching police barricades. When our personnel prevented them from marching ahead, they became aggressive and resorted to stone pelting,” a senior police officer told this newspaper.
The officer also said that the personnel dispersed the protestors by resorting to “mild” lathicharge, adding that six to seven personnel were injured during the violence.
The police detained some protestors after the incident. When reports last came in, the situation was peaceful. Authorities fanned out security personnel in Kailasahar areas.
While in West Bengal, at least three people were killed in Murshidabad district following violent clashes reportedly linked to ongoing protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Over 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence, according to police.
Large-scale unrest was reported on Friday in the Suti and Samserganj areas during protests, with police allegedly firing four rounds at protesters after the situation turned violent.
The Calcutta High Court on Saturday ordered deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the violence-hit Murshidabad district to restore normalcy.
(With inputs from PTI)