Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday broke his silence on the reports of communal tension coming in from different parts of the state.
Briefing the media after a blood donation camp in Agartala, Dr Saha alleged that a vested interest group is consistently attempting to create unrest in Tripura. He stated that this section is actively working against the state’s progress.
It should be noted that on August 25, several houses belonging to the minority Muslims were torched after an idol of goddess Kali was found defaced at Ranirbazar in West Tripura district. The police took swift action and arrested five persons on charges of violence and arson. Within 12 hours of their arrest, all accused were released on bail.
Days after the incident, almost a similar attack was carried out at a temple located in the West Laxmi Beel area under the Bishalgarh police station in Sepahijala district. To defuse the escalating tension, local MLA Sushanta Deb and local police rushed to the spot and convened a peace meeting.
Another temple under the same police station was allegedly ransacked two days after the incident in East Laxmi Beel. All these incidents occurred within one week.
Reacting on the issue, Dr Saha said, “Whenever I came to know about such incidents, I directed the police to take stern action. The police have taken prompt action and we shall definitely combat such dubious attempts both socially and politically.”
Blaming the vested interest section for all the incidents, Dr Saha said, “Tripura has seen a sea change under this government. Things are moving forward very smoothly with pace. Some people don’t want development and peace to prevail all over the state. This invisible force is working behind all these incidents. I appeal to all innocent people not to fall for such conspiracies.”
A specific police case was registered with Bishalgarh police station in connection with the East Laxmi Beel temple incident. Local sources said, it is for the second time a temple came under attack in the Bishalgarh area.
The incident sparked resentment among the people from the Hindu community.
According to Partha Sarathi Chakraborty who filed the FIR, the Shiva Linga of the temple which is installed outside the sanctum sanctorum was tried to be dismantled.
The idol of Nandi Maharaj in front of the Shiva Linga was reportedly dislocated using force. The trident and the snake placed on the Shiva Linga were also missing.
“Attempts were made to deface the main idol given the circumstances over there. The Purohit of the temple first noticed all these and raised the alarm. We gathered at the temple’s premises and saw the vandalism carried out by the miscreants,” he said.
Chakraborty also pointed out that it was for the first time, the locals had encountered such an act in a Hindu temple in the locality. It should be noted here that a similar attack was carried out in another temple in Bishalgarh.
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However, one person has been arrested in connection with the previous incident. The accused has been identified as Akhtar Hossain alias Munai.
“We have registered two similar cases. In East Laxmi Beel, locals said that some objects related to the deity of a temple are missing and efforts were made to dislocate the Shiva Linga. Another case was registered in connection with an incident at West Laxmi Beel, Murabari. One person has been arrested in connection with the West Laxmi Beel case. The accused is identified as Akhtar Hossain,” officer-in-charge of Bishalgarh police station Sanjit Sen told EastMojo.
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