On Sunday, violent clashes occurred in the Kadamtala block area of North Tripura following a Muslim mob attacking Hindu houses and members of a local club over the collection of paid subscriptions (chanda) for Durga Puja.
The attack comes 3 days before the beginning of the annual Hindu festival. According to the media reports, a local club organising the Durga Puja sought a contribution of ₹5000 from a Muslim driver named Jahar Mia. He was travelling to Assam with some of his relatives. Mia refused to pay which led to a heated argument between him and the club members. A Muslim mob siding with the driver broke into the houses of the Hindu club members and attacked their families.
During the attack, they did not spare women and children. The victims sustained injuries and an atmosphere of tension arose the entire neighbourhood. The Muslim mob vandalised two homes and a beauty parlour during the violence. Videos have been circulated on social media sites where scared Hindu residents were seen narrating their ordeal and showcasing the extent of damage caused to their property.
‘Kadamtala bazar is destroyed, including the front part of my house. Is this India? Where do we go from here?’ a terrified Hindu woman was heard saying. According to the media reports, minority community members entered the conflict, attacking common people and exacerbating the tension. District Superintendent of Police Bhanupada Chakraborty acknowledged the intense strain between the two groups, majorly triggered by disputes over Durga Puja donation collections.”
An arson attack was also carried out in the Kadamtala Bazar area wherein Muslim mobs, armed with machetes, terrorised Hindus and looted shops in the market area. During the onslaught on the Hindu community, one man was brutally killed and 17 others were injured.
The attack triggered retaliatory measures, prompting the law enforcement authorities to intervene. A large contingent of police and paramilitary forces, including Tripura State Rifles (TSR), was deployed to pacify the situation. They resorted to lathi-charge and firing and the police have arrested two Hindus namely Nirmalendu Sen and Dwipajoy Nath in connection to the violence. The local administration imposed Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) in the area for 3 days, preventing the assembly of 5 or more people.
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