Agartala, January 10:
Political temperatures ran high in Tripura on Saturday after incidents of violence and arson were reported from Fatikroy under Kumarghat subdivision of Unakoti district, with the opposition CPI(M) and Congress accusing the BJP-led government of failing to maintain law and order, while the ruling party strongly rejected the allegations, terming them politically motivated.
Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury and Tripura Pradesh Congress president and former MLA Asish Kumar Saha alleged that members of the religious minority community were targeted in the violence, during which several shops, business establishments and a place of worship were reportedly vandalised and gutted.
The opposition leaders claimed that the incident occurred barely 48 hours after Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar asserted at a press conference that law and order in Tripura had significantly improved in 2025 and that the crime rate was the lowest in over two decades.
Terming the incident a “backlash of hatred politics,” the opposition alleged that the situation had exposed what they called the “false narrative” of the BJP government on law and order.
They further claimed that many of those involved in the violence were linked to the ruling party and alleged that communal intolerance had become a recurring phenomenon in the state since the BJP came to power.
The opposition also accused the police of earlier detaining accused persons in similar incidents without registering cases, which, they said, had encouraged miscreants.
Following the incident, the administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in sensitive areas to prevent further escalation.
Internet and mobile data services were suspended, and senior officials, including the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, rushed to the spot to monitor the situation.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel doused the flames, while police conducted flag marches and deployed a large number of security forces to restore public confidence.
Police sources said at least eight persons were preventively arrested, while several others were detained for questioning. Officials maintained that the situation was under control and that investigations were underway.
Countering the opposition’s allegations, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee denied that any communal violence had taken place in Tripura.
He alleged that the CPI(M) and Congress were deliberately giving a religious colour to incidents to defame what he described as the “double-engine government” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, which, he said, believes in the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”
Bhattacharjee asserted that the Communists had “no moral right” to comment on law and order, claiming that people of Tripura were well aware of the situation during the Left Front regime, which, according to him, led to their ouster from power.
He further stated that minorities, particularly Muslims, were among the highest beneficiaries of various welfare schemes implemented by the Modi government and claimed that not a single person from the community in Tripura could say they were victims of communal violence.
Praising the response of the administration, the BJP leader said the civil and police authorities acted promptly to control the situation.
He added that he had personally spoken with the local MLA and Minister Sudhangshu Das, as well as district police and administrative officials, and was informed that the situation in Fatikroy had returned to normal.
Meanwhile, security forces continue to maintain a strong presence in the area as authorities keep a close watch to ensure peace and prevent any further untoward incidents.
