Agartala: The Tripura police have provided security cover to almost all the mosques in the state after a body had alleged that some ‘miscreants’ had attacked mosques and minority habitations in parts of the state in the aftermath of communal violence in Bangladesh.
Speaking with The Wire, Tripura director general of police (DGP) V.S. Yadav said some “unknown miscreants” tried to disrupt communal harmony in the state but that their attempts were foiled due to the deployment of police forces. Around 150 mosques are being provided protection, he said.
“All the mosques across the state are under security coverage. Our police officers are in the field. So far, no fresh incidents occurred in the state. A few days ago, miscreants tried to create disturbance but due to police patrolling they couldn’t. Some miscreants are taking advantage of the situation to disrupt communal harmony and malign the government,” Yadav said. He said no major attacks were reported.
Tripura shares an 856 km semi-porous international boundary with Bangladesh, where a series of attacks on minorities were reported during Durga puja.
Tripura State Jamiat Ulama president Mufti Tayebur Rahman has confirmed to The Wire that the police have provided security to all the mosques and no fresh attempts were made to disturb peace and communal harmony.
“So far we haven’t received any reports of incidents. Police were deployed near mosques. The government is also working to maintain peace in the state,” he said.
The Jamiat had submitted a memorandum to chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and DGP V.S. Yadav and said, “No one, from Hindu or Muslim community, in Tripura supported the violence in Bangladesh. I personally protested. Even then, some unruly, communal mobs in the state are engaged in attacks on mosques, minority homes and other unpleasant activities to destroy the harmony of Hindus and Muslims.”
The memorandum added, “Some Muslims in remote areas have had to leave their homes for this reason.”
The Jamiat had demanded arrangements to be made to stop these mobs and that action should be taken against the accused.
The assistant inspector general of police (law and order) Subrata Chakraborty said, “We have directed all the concerned district superintendents of police to provide security coverage to all the mosques, to carry out regular patrolling. Soon after violence in Bangladesh, we alerted our officials.”
On the issue, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said the party was against any such incident, and leaders of its minority morcha had reached out to “everyone across the state” to ensure peace.
Earlier, a series of protests were held by right-wing groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Hindu Jagran Manch, across the state to protest the violence in Bangladesh.
During a protest, more than 12 persons – including three police officers – were injured in clashes on Thursday between the police and right-wing groups in the Maharani area under the Udaipur sub-division of Tripura’s Gomati district.
The police had denied right-wing groups permission to hold a protest rally against communal attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.
Police said that following reports of deterioration of law and order, they were not granting permission for the protest rally as it was planned to be held in Fotamati and Hirapur areas of the sub-division, which have clusters where minorities live.
The second Bangladesh Film Festival, which was scheduled to start in Agartala on Thursday, was cancelled amidst tension and protests over the attacks on minorities.
