A large contingent of Central and state security forces has been deployed in Koitorabari, located in the West Tripura district, following a surge of tension triggered by the defacement of an idol at a local Kali temple by unidentified miscreants. The district administration has responded by imposing a curfew in the area to prevent further unrest.
The incident, which took place late on Sunday night, has led to a series of violent retaliations. According to police reports, after the Kali idol was defaced, the miscreants attacked nearby areas, setting fire to at least 16 houses and several vehicles. The violence resulted in injuries to four individuals, further exacerbating the situation.
Director General of Police (Intelligence) Anurag Dhankar and West Tripura District Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar K. have rushed to the scene, approximately 12 km from Agartala, with additional forces to manage the situation. The West Tripura district administration has imposed a curfew under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the Jirania sub-division, the epicenter of the unrest.
A significant deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Tripura State Rifles, and local police has been made in the area, which has a mixed population. The Ranir Bazaar police station has initiated an investigation after registering a suo-motu case, although no arrests have been made so far.
Local MLA and Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury visited the affected areas, urging residents to maintain calm and uphold communal harmony. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tripura Police confirmed that the situation has been brought under control and warned against spreading rumors, stating that strict legal action would be taken against any miscreants.
West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar, who visited the area on Monday, described the incident as unfortunate. He assured the public that the police and district administration are working together to maintain peace. Kumar also mentioned that the government would compensate for the damages caused and appealed to the public to cooperate with authorities while refraining from sharing inflammatory content on social media.
