Huge contingent of security forces deployed, prohibitory order clamped and mobile internet services were suspended in the entire North Tripura District for three days after communal tensions flared up at Pekucherra on Tuesday after a Shiva temple and a mosque were vandalized, officials said.

A police official said that a large contingent of security forces including Tripura State Rifles were deployed after the unrest started late on Monday night when “unknown miscreants’ damaged a Shiva temple at the mixed populated Pekucherra.

He said in retaliation, a group of people vandalised a mosque causing serious tension in the entire mixed populated areas.

Considering the communal tension and to prevent further escalation of any violence, state’s Home Secretary Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty suspended the mobile internet services in the entire North Tripura district for three days. 

The District authority has promulgated the prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for three days in the entire Dharmanagar Sub-Division restricting movement of five or more people, public gathering and carrying of lethal and non-lethal weapons by the civilians.

The area had already been tense after a recent rape of a Hindu girl. Two rape suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime.  But the people were in anguish and the temple vandalism further inflamed the situation.

The Pekucherra incident occurred a week after a communal clash at nearby Kadamtala in the same North Tripura district leaving one dead and more than 17 people including policemen were injured.

The Kadamtala incident occurred for two consecutive days after the clash between different religious communities over the collection of Durga Puja donations and people of different communities attacked each other’s many houses, hundreds of shops on October 6.

Amidst the communal tension, Director General of Police Amitabh Ranjan in an urgent order transferred the North Tripura District Superintendent of police Bhanupada Chakraborty and directed Dhalai district SP Avinash Rai to look after the work of SP, North Tripura District, in addition.

Rai, who visited the troubled Pekucherra areas to assess the ground situation and to bring the situation under control, said that the latest situation is under control and peaceful.

“There were some minor clashes. Peace meetings are going on now. All senior officers are present on the spot,” the IPS officer told the media.  There is no report of any arrest, so far.