Agartala, Jan 11 (NationPress) Following clashes between two communities regarding subscription collections for a local fair, the atmosphere in the Kumarghat subdivision of Tripura's Unakoti district remains tense yet stable as of Sunday, according to police reports.

A senior police official in Agartala revealed that on Saturday, authorities detained 10 individuals from both factions.

On Sunday, police arrested seven of those detained and brought them before a local court, requesting police custody.

A significant presence of the Assam Rifles, Tripura State Rifles (TSR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and state police has been established in the affected areas.

“Security forces, led by senior officials, are conducting regular patrols and closely monitoring the situation. No new incidents have occurred since Saturday night,” stated Rupam Chakma, Additional Superintendent of Police of Unakoti district.

He emphasized that any individual spreading rumors or distributing fake photos and videos would face severe consequences.

Another police representative indicated that additional security forces were dispatched to mixed-population zones and religious sites.

Prohibitory orders were enforced in the Kumarghat subdivision on Saturday after violence erupted over subscription demands for a local fair, resulting in injuries to at least five to six people and destruction of several homes and properties, officials confirmed.

Internet services across the Kumarghat Sub-Division have been suspended for 48 hours as a precautionary step.

In correspondence to the District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Unakoti district requested the internet shutdown, citing a sudden and serious law-and-order crisis in the Fatikroy police station area due to communal unrest.

“The suspension of internet services is necessary to control the law-and-order situation by limiting the dissemination of false propaganda and messages,” the SP articulated in the letter.

According to police accounts, the trouble originated on Saturday when a group of youths halted a timber-laden vehicle at Saidarpar under the jurisdiction of the Fatikroy police station, demanding a subscription for a community fair.

Tension escalated when a minority family in the Shimultala area allegedly refused to contribute, leading an unruly mob to gather and set fire to houses, vehicles, and properties, including a timber shop, and vandalize a place of worship.

The situation quickly became volatile as news of the incident spread throughout the mixed-population locality.

In response to the incidents of arson, vandalism, and property damage, including a place of worship, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Kumarghat invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, to prevent further escalation and maintain order.

Avinash Rai, Acting Superintendent of Police, along with Tamal Majumder, District Magistrate, and other senior officials, visited the affected areas with additional forces to assess security measures.

Regarding the extent of the damage, police officials indicated that a comprehensive evaluation is underway by district administration personnel.

Police and central paramilitary units conducted flag marches even as tension lingered in some sections of the area.

The situation remains closely monitored, and authorities have urged the public to uphold peace and refrain from disseminating rumors.

Meanwhile, state BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee, state Congress President Ashis Kumar Saha, and Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) state Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury condemned the violence and called for calm.

Senior Congress leader and former minister Birajit Sinha, alongside Unakoti district Congress president Md. Badruzzaman, visited the incident site on Sunday to evaluate the situation.

However, when attempting to connect with the affected minority families and conduct an on-site assessment, they were allegedly obstructed by police, leading to serious allegations.

In light of this, Congress leaders asserted that they were prevented from standing in solidarity with the affected families on Sunday.

Sinha, also a Congress MLA from the nearby areas, vehemently condemned the incident, labeling it a “violation of democratic rights.”

“If speaking with ordinary citizens who have been victims of violence is deemed a crime, then democracy has no place in the state. The question arises as to whose interests the administration is aiming to protect by suppressing the truth,” Sinha told the media.