Agartala, Dec 14 (UNI) While anti-CAB movement in Tripura has cooled down after Joint Movement Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (JMAC) announced to continue the movement in democratic manner with continuous dialogue, tension in Kanchanpur of North Tripura and Gandacherra of Dhalai district is continuing.
According to reports, more than 1500 non-tribal residents left their homes in Kanchanpur three days ago, alleging attack by Bru displaced people in support of the anti-CAB movement. The tribal families have demanded removal of Bru refugees from Kanchanpur and said they would not get back home or market and shops unless their demand is heeded.
Superintendent of police North Tripura Bhanupada Chakraborty, who has been camping in Kanchanpur for the last three days, said that situation has improved and the administration is holding continuous meetings with the families to restore normalcy and peace.
There has been no fresh incident of violence in the last two days in Kanchanpur and administration has taken all measures, he stated.
As many as 209 non-tribal families from Lakhipur area took shelter in a higher secondary school and another 39 families took refuge at SPO camps in East Lakhipur, while 45 families are lodged at a junior basic school in Kanchanpur.
On the other hand, 56 Bru families took shelter at a school in Orichhara and another 10 families at Ramcharan High School.
The agitated people in the areas have shut down all the shops and markets and decided not to re-open until the government compensates their losses in the violence and attack, provide full security, dismantles the Bru camps and repatriates them to Mizoram.
The administration has been providing food and other amenities to the people sheltered in different locations.
The Bangali Oikya Mancha (BOM) alleged that the Bru people living in the camps have been disturbing the local non-tribal families, causing social unrest and anti-social activities for the past few years.
They added that the Brus have become more violent and started attacking them after Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb agreed to settle them in Tripura, recently, following pressure from tribal groups in the state.
“They took out violent procession against CAB and raised communal slogans against the non-tribals. They attacked and tortured whoever they found on their way, in the roads, markets, shops and houses, destroyed properties, which created tension in the locality and forced the families to take shelter in the makeshift camps,” said Khirud Nath, a BOM activist.
He further alleged that Bru displaced families have been instigated by the different tribal outfits and groups against the non-tribals and warned, “We shall launch severe movement to resist such communal activities to destroy peace. We made it clear to the administration to take action against the troublemakers before we request the Bangali families to move back to their houses."
The central paramilitary forces are continuing flag march in the area and 144 CrPC has been imposed.
Similar, allegations were received from Gandacherra of Dhalai district where BOM has been observing 48 hrs general strike from yesterday. No fresh violence has been reported from anywhere in Gandacherra for the past two days but tension between two communities is continuing
Allegedly, some unknown miscreants in Kamalpur and Teliamura set fire to properties in past two days. The non-tribal teachers and drivers of vehicles have stopped movement in the tribal dominated areas. The same tension is also reported in Khowai, Amarpur, Manu, Bishramganj and parts of Udaipur.
However, the administration and local MLAs are holding peace meeting to normalize the situation.
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