The West Tripura district administration on Sunday has again extended prohibitory orders imposed in Jirania subdivision, where tension broke out over the defacement of a Kali idol at a temple and subsequent violence in which 16 houses were gutted and few people injured.

As per the prohibitory orders, issued under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), five or more people cannot assemble in the entire subdivision. The restriction, which was imposed on August 26 for two days and extended till August 31, will continue to be in place from 1 am on September 2 to 1 am on September 5, a notification issued by District Magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar on Sunday saying "there is still an apprehension of breach of peace and tranquility, danger to human life and property, obstruction and injury to persons under Jirania subdivision".

It may be recalled here that amidst prevailing tension Koitorabari village of Ranirbazar under Jirania subdivision after defacing of Hindu idols Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva and subsequent arsoning in the minority populated area , another incident of defacing of Goddess Kali committed by some unknown miscreants at Laxmibill village at Bishalgarh under Sepahijala district last two days ago.

Police sources said that soon after the incident was reported, administration swung into action and deployed a large number of security forces in all vulnerable areas of Bishalgarh subdivision with all preventive measures to avoid any kind of communal tension in that area. Till Sunday, the deployment of large numbers of security forces are still in both Jirania and Bishalgarh subdivisions.

A large contingent of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and state police have been deployed at Koitorabari and other sensitive places of Jirania subdivision after the "unidentified attackers" set afire at least 16 houses, destroyed properties and burnt several vehicles late on August 25 night, leaving four persons injured in wake of the attacks.

Earlier, on Thursday, protesting arrest of few youths for their alleged involvement in arsoning of minority populated area and burning down 16 houses in Ranirbazar after defacing of Hindu idols Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva, hundreds of villagers staged a blockade on National Highway-8 connecting Assam and Agartala for around two hours, demanding the release of five people who were arrested.

The police said that several hundred people, including women belonging to the majority community, blocked National Highway-8, the lifeline of Tripura, at Ranirbazar in Jirania subdivision, in protest against the arrest of five persons.

After hours of blockade, senior police officers, including West Tripura District Superintendent of Police (SP)Kiran Kumar K and Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, who is the local MLA, rushed to the site of the protest. After hectic negotiations, the agitators withdrew the blockade, leading to the normalizations of the movement of several hundred stranded vehicles on the vital National Highway.

Director General of Police (DGP), Intelligence, Anurag Dhankar, West Tripura District Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar have several times visited the tension-struck areas and senior police officers are also camping in the area.