Agartala, January 12:
With the situation gradually returning to normal, the district administration on Monday lifted the suspension of internet and mobile data services in Tripura’s Kumarghat subdivision of Unakoti district. Officials also announced that the prohibitory order imposed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, has been relaxed and is now restricted only to vulnerable areas.
According to senior police officials, at least 11 persons belonging to both communities have been arrested in connection with the clashes that erupted on January 10 over the collection of subscriptions for a local community fair. While the situation in the mixed-population Kumarghat subdivision remains tense, it is largely peaceful with no fresh incidents reported.
Unakoti District Magistrate Tamal Majumder said that internet and mobile data services, which were suspended on Saturday as a precautionary measure following the violence, were restored on Monday after an improvement in the law-and-order situation. He added that the prohibitory order under Section 163 of the BNSS, initially enforced across the entire Kumarghat subdivision, has now been confined to the Fatikroy police station areas.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, addressed the issue while speaking at a government function, warning that those taking the law into their own hands would not be spared and would face strict action.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Communist Party of India (CPI) visited the affected areas on Monday to assess the situation. However, the delegation alleged that police prevented them from interacting with minority families and conducting an on-the-spot inspection, leading to accusations against the administration.
Police stated that the trouble began when a group of youths stopped a timber-laden vehicle at Saidarpar under Fatikroy police station and demanded a subscription for a local fair. Tensions escalated after a minority family allegedly refused to pay, following which an unruly mob set fire to houses, vehicles, and a timber shop, and vandalised a place of worship.
In response, security forces including Assam Rifles, Tripura State Rifles, CRPF, and state police were deployed in large numbers. Authorities said the situation is under close surveillance, and stern action will be taken against rumour-mongers to ensure peace and stability.
