Mosque Vandalised, Two Shops Set Ablaze During VHP Rally in Tripura

A mosque was attacked and two shops were set on fire during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad rally in Tripura's Chamtilla.

A mosque was vandalised and two shops were set on fire during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally in Tripura's Chamtilla on Tuesday, 26 October. Representative photo.

(Photo: Twitter/@Ajitmittayil17)

A mosque was vandalised and two shops were set on fire during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally in Tripura's Chamtilla on Tuesday, 26 October. The VHP gathering had been called to protest against the the recent cases of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Three residences and a few shops in Rowa Bazar, that were occupied by members of the minority Muslim community, were also plundered, Superintendent of Police Bhanupada Chakraborty indicated, as per news agency PTI.

“Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists took out a rally to protest against the recent violence in Bangladesh. A group of people threw stones and damaged a door of a mosque in Chamtilla area during the rally. Security forces rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control,” the senior police officer was quoted as saying.

Bajrang Dal leader Narayan Das, who had been present at the VHP gathering, told The Indian Express that the rally had encountered a number of youths around a mosque in Rowa, who had raised communal slogans, provoking some incidents of scuffle.

Police Complaint Registered, Section 144 Imposed

SDM Dharmanagar of North Tripura said that the Dharmanagar administration has imposed section 144 of the CrPC in the district to maintain peace and harmony in the district.

A complaint has also been registered with the police in connection with the violence. The Tripura Police has further provided protection to mosques located in sensitive areas in the state, NDTV reported, citing police sources on Wednesday.

Ensuring that the present situation is under control, Tripura Police had taken to Twitter on Tuesday and warned people against spreading rumours and circulating provocative messages on social media.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya also said that was not aware of the episode, and that appropriate action will be taken by the police if it has happened, as per PTI.

Last week, a tussle had broken out between the police and VHP members in Tripura.

The VHP-Tripura Police Clash

Around 15 people, including three security personnel, were injured when right wing groups clashed with the police at Udaipur in Tripura, on Thursday, 21 October.

The unrest ensued as activists of VHP were disallowed by the police from taking out a procession in the Gomati district, about 50 km from the state capital Agartala, against attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

The police had said that the protestors had resorted to stone-pelting and three police officials were injured.

The incidents of communal conflict in Tripura come in the wake of heightened tensions in Bangladesh, which rose after the recent attacks on the Durga Puja festivities of the minority Hindu community.

The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council said at least 70 puja pavilions and temples were attacked. 7 persons were reported dead in the violence in country.

(With inputs from PTI and The Indian Express)