Agartala, Aug 26, 2024, TRIPURA TIMES Desk

Agartala, Aug 26: A prohibitory order under section 163 of BNSS-2023 in the entire Jirania sub-division in West Tripura district after tension gripped the area over the defacing of the idol at a Kali temple at Koitorabari area by ‘unidentified miscreants’ and subsequent incidents.

The order came into force from 1 am of August 26 and it will be effective till 1 am of August 28.

Speaking to the media, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha appealed to all for maintaining peace in the area. He said, the situation is ‘under control’.

Security forces in adequate numbers have been deployed following the incident.

A police officer said that following the defacing of the Kali idol, the unidentified miscreants attacked nearby areas and torched at least 16 houses, and burnt several vehicles late on Sunday night, causing injuries to four persons.

Director General of Police (Intelligence), Anurag Dhankar, and West Tripura District Superintendent of Police, Kiran Kumar K., have rushed to the spot, around 12 km from here, with additional force.

A large contingent of Central Reserve Police Force, Tripura State Rifles, and police has been deployed in the mixed populated areas. The Ranir Bazaar police station has taken up the investigation after registering a suo-motu case, a senior police officer said.

Minister for Tourism Sushanta Chowdhury visited the affected areas and urged the people to maintain calm and communal harmony.

Meanwhile, Tripura Police wrote in a post on X: “The situation in Koitorabari under Ranir Bazaar PS has been brought under control, enough forces are deployed to tackle any kind of situation. Please refrain from spreading rumours, strict legal action will be taken against such miscreants.”

On Monday, West Tripura District Magistrate Dr. Vishal Kumar visited the area and called the incident ‘unfortunate’. He said, the police and the district administration are working jointly to ensure that the situation remains normal and peace is maintained.

“We want to find out those behind the act. The government would compensate for all the damages caused by the incident. We appeal to the people to cooperate with the administration and stay cautious of any rumours,” the DM told mediapersons.

Informing that some families have fled their homes in the wake of this incident, the District Magistrate said, “We appeal to the public to show solidarity towards the affected people and not share anything on social media that might flare up the situation. Action will be taken against the rumour-mongers."