Kailashahar (Tripura) [India], January 24 (HBTV): Tension prevailed in the Katal Dighirpar area of Kailashahar town in Tripura’s Unakoti district on Friday evening after violent clashes erupted between two groups of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party over Public Works Department tenders, leaving at least one person injured, police said.
The incident occurred in the central part of the town and escalated rapidly, leading to stone-pelting, vandalism and arson. BJP Kailashahar Mandal president Pritam Ghosh sustained injuries in the violence and was taken for medical treatment.
According to sources, the residence of BJP Yuva Morcha district president Arup Dhar was vandalised, while an unofficial Yuva Morcha office in the same locality was set on fire. Fire services personnel later brought the blaze under control.
Local residents alleged that the clash broke out between two factions of the ruling party, one led by the Mandal president and the other by the Yuva Morcha district president, over disputes linked to three PWD tenders in Unakoti district.
To disperse the crowd and restore order, police resorted to a lathi charge and fired shots in the air. The situation was subsequently brought under control with the deployment of additional security forces.
Senior officials, including North Tripura Superintendent of Police Sudhambika R, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rahul A, and Officer-in-Charge of Kailashahar police station Tapas Malakar, rushed to the spot. A large contingent of Tripura Police, State Reserve Police and central armed police forces has been deployed in the area.
Although the situation remains tense, it is under control, police said, adding that security personnel are maintaining a strict vigil.
Alleging targeted violence, BJP Mandal president Pritam Ghosh claimed that a group of youths armed with sharp weapons and sticks created disturbances near a puja venue and attacked people who gathered after receiving information about the unrest, leading to further escalation.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rahul A said the situation was currently under control and necessary steps had been taken to prevent further violence. ‘Additional forces have been deployed, and the area is being closely monitored,’ he said.
Police said further action would be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation. (ANI)