7 arrested, 3 cops suspended after security breach at Bangladesh Mission in Agartala

Speaking to indianexpress.com, a senior police official said Tuesday that a case was registered with New Capital Complex police station. The attackers have been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to assaulting or using criminal force against public servants on duty, unlawful assembly, rioting, and criminal trespass.

“The arrested individuals include Jhutan Das of Border Golchakkar, Ujjwal Das of Dashamighat, Diptanil Bhowmik of Abhoynagar, Surja Das of Amtali area in the outskirts of Agartala city, Jhulan Malakar of Belonia in South Tripura, Pradip Saha of 79 Tilla area in Agartala and Alak Majumder of SDO Chowmuhani in West Tripura,” the official said. A search is on to nab others involved.

On Monday afternoon, a protest was underway outside the mission against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Das in Bangladesh when agitators breached the police barricade and stormed the complex even as a team of their delegates was meeting the Assistant High Commissioner inside.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the situation “deeply regrettable” and announced additional security deployment at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions of the country elsewhere in India.

The Government of Bangladesh said it “deeply resents the violent demonstration and attack” on its Assistant High Commission premises in Agartala.

The protest by activists of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti – against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Das in Bangladesh – initially started as a peaceful sit-in demonstration. The agitators also raised the issue of insult towards the Indian flag at a university in Bangladesh and the alleged atrocities meted out to minorities under the dispensation led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

When a delegation of six protesters went to meet the Assistant High Commissioner, a group of agitators stormed the premises, removed Bangladesh’s national flag hoisted there and damaged chairs, flower pots and other objects. Security personnel brought the situation under control within minutes and dispersed the mob.

Tripura Police Director General (Intelligence) Anurag Dhankar rushed to the spot. Additional security forces were deployed outside the mission shortly afterwards.

On Monday evening, the MEA issued a statement saying, “The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable. Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances.”

The Bangladesh government said accounts received by them “conclusively attest” that the protesters were allowed to aggress into the premises by breaking down the main gate in a pre-planned manner. “Regrettably, the local Police persons present in charge of protecting the premises were found not to be active in containing the situation from the beginning,” the Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Ministry stated.

It pointed at a “pattern, further to a similar violent demonstration in Kolkata on November 28 this year.” Invoking the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Bangladesh Government said, “This particular act in Agartala stands in violation of the inviolability of diplomatic missions, as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, asks for”.

It further called upon the Government of India to take immediate action to address the incident and undertake a thorough investigation.

Protests continue in Agartala

A group of protesters under the banner of Sanatani Yuva thronged the streets of Agartala on Tuesday demanding to stop atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh, besides the unconditional release of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

“We want the attacks on minorities to stop and the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das or our protests will continue. We hit the streets today as part of this,” said a leader of Sanatani Yuva.

BJP leader and former Union minister Pratima Bhowmik, who was seen joining the protest, alleged that properties, houses or business outlets of minorities came under attack at nearly 17,000 places in Bangladesh.

“We assembled for a protest meeting seeking unconditional bail for Chinmoy Prabhu. Such barbarism is not good in a civilised society. Properties of the Sanatani minorities are being looted. They were forcefully converted, their daughters were gang-raped and other atrocities are being done there (Bangladesh). I feel all should raise their voice against this,” claimed Bhowmik.

She further said, “Today’s Bangladesh is the Bangladesh made by our ancestors. This Bangladesh is not by them who are torturing today. They are destroying it.”