Week after Kadamtala clashes, communal tension sparks in North Tripura again

A notification issued by Dr Pradeep Kumar Chakravarty, Secretary (Home), government of Tripura, read, “Due to communal tension in some areas of the North Tripura district, I, Dr. Pradeep Kumar Chakravarty, Secretary to the Government of Tripura , Home Department do hereby issue this notification under the provision of Section 52 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, to prohibit the following types of media for the next 72 hours from 1700 hours of 15/10/2024 throughout the entire North Tripura District.”

The order covers text messages of all mobile service providers, mobile internet, data services, and all forms of press communication.

The notification further stated that anyone violating the order would be punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Dhalai Superintendent of Police Avinash Rai, who arrived at the scene to assess the situation, said, “The situation is under control and peaceful. There were some minor clashes. Peace meetings are being held, and all senior officers are on-site.”

Regarding the damaged Shiv temple, the SP clarified, “The temple was basically a tin roof supported by four nearly rotten wooden poles. It likely collapsed on its own. Afterward, rumors spread, leading to a crowd gathering, but the police acted swiftly and dispersed them.”

When asked about the subsequent attack on the mosque complex, the SP explained, “An under-construction building within the mosque complex sustained minor damage. It was not yet a prayer house, though located within the premises of one. We have deployed security personnel, and the situation is under control.”

The October 7 clashes

Earlier, on October 7, a series of clashes in Kadamtala, North Tripura district, left one person dead and around 17 injured after a dispute over a Durga Puja subscription demand from a local club escalated into violence. Several shops were vandalized, and looted items were set on fire in the streets.

As tensions flared in Kadamtala, police resorted to blank firing and lathi charges to bring the situation under control. A clash between two communities took place, prompting the local administration to impose restrictions on public movement under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita from Sunday evening until the forenoon of October 9.