HT Correspondent
AGARTALA, Aug 29: Hundreds of locals staged a protest on Thursday by blockading National Highway 8, a key route connecting Tripura with the rest of the country.
The demonstration followed the detention of five youths, accused of being involved in the vandalization of a Kali idol and arson targeting houses and vehicles of minority communities in Durganagar under Jirania Sub-division, West Tripura, on Sunday.
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The protesters, who gathered in large numbers, demanded the immediate release of the detained youths, who had been taken into custody late Wednesday night for questioning about the violent incidents.
Speaking to reporters, the demonstrators insisted that the youths were innocent and wrongly implicated in the idol vandalism case.
“These young men are not responsible for the idol vandalisation. The police have arrested the wrong people, and we demand their immediate release. The real culprits are still at large,” said one of the protestors. Another echoed this sentiment, criticizing the police for failing to apprehend the true perpetrators of the crime.
In response to the unrest, food and civil supplies minister and local MLA Sushanta Chowdhury, accompanied by West District Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar, arrived at the scene to address the situation.
Minister Chowdhury urged the public to remain calm and patient. “The police are carrying out their duties in accordance with the law. We must ensure that no actions are taken that tarnish the reputation of the Chief Minister or the government. We understand the grievances, but disrupting traffic affects students, patients, and others who are stuck here. Please have faith in us; we will thoroughly investigate the matter,” he assured.
SP Kiran Kumar explained the police’s actions, stating, “Based on the evidence we have, five individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent violence. While the road blockade has been lifted, the investigation is ongoing, and we expect to make more arrests as new information comes to light.”
Following several hours of protest, the blockade was eventually cleared, allowing traffic to resume. However, tensions in the area remain high as investigations continue.
