Tripura Police Urged to Take Action in Goddess Kali Idol Defacement, Torching of Houses

Agartala: The Tripura State Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, on Saturday, urged cops to take action against the miscreants who defaced an idol of Goddess Kali and those involved in torching several houses following the desecration in West Tripura district.

The organisation also expressed dismay that the people who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the arson secured bail.

"Today we met the West Tripura Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar and handed over a memorandum demanding punishment for those who defaced an idol of Goddess Kali and set eight houses on fire," the president of Tripura Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, Mufti Taybur Rahman, told reporters.

"We also demanded compensation for the people whose houses were gutted,” Rahman said.

He said they wanted to know from the SP how all the people arrested for arson were granted bail.

"After hearing our concern, the SP asked us to approach the court since the police have nothing to do with granting bail,” he said.

At least eight houses and 13 vehicles were set on fire by a group of miscreants at Durganagar after an idol of goddess Kali was defaced on August 26.

The police registered a suo motu FIR and arrested five people in connection with the August 26 incident.

In response, locals blocked the national highway on Thursday demanding the release of the arrested people.

A local court, on Thursday, granted bail to the arrested people.

Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma also demanded the arrest of all the criminals who are involved in the desecration of idol kali as well as setting fire to eight houses at Durganagar.

"Tripura had witnessed communal violence. Every time we had communal violence, there have been politicians behind it- be it BJP, Congress or CPI(M). Take the example of violence in Gandacherra and Ranirbazar," Debbarma told the reporters.

"We want whoever is responsible for the discretion of Kali to face the law. The groups who had set the dwelling house on ablaze must be arrested. Let the law take its course," he said.

(with PTI inputs)