Tripura CM appeals to people to maintain peace, harmony

Agartala, Aug 25 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister ManikSarkar today said the clashes between activists of IndigenousPeople’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and the locals here onTuesday was provocative and appealed to all sections of thesociety to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state. "The incident was provocative, violent and aimed atbreaching peace and communal harmony. However, the situationcould be tackled with the initiative of the peace lovingpeople and patience exercised by security forces," he said atthe civil secretariat here. Sarkar said a section of people had tried to fomenttrouble by spreading rumours and using the social media afterthe incidents took place. But the peace loving people foiledall attempts of creating communal tension. The government has clamped prohibitory orders undersection 144 of CrPC in the town and intensified patrolling tomaintain law and order, the Chief Minister said, adding, "Thesituation is now under control." Sarkar, who is also the state home minister, said amagisterial inquiry has been ordered to unearth the truthbehind the clash between IPFT and the locals and the reportwould be submitted in a month, he said. "Media played an appreciable role in the situation and Iagain appeal to you all to keep vigil and play positive role,"he said. On many tribals, mainly students from villages, returninghome with police escorts, the Chief Minister said theirguardians had requested the police stations concerned to sendthem home with security. "Police had arranged to send them home, because theycould not remain unresponsive to their guardians’ requests.However, the guardians have said they would send back thestudents to rejoin their schools," he added. At least 22 people, including five police personnel wereinjured in clashes in different parts of the state capital onTuesday after a section of activists of tribal based partyIPFT, who had taken out a procession demanding ‘Twipra land’,a separate state for the tribals, attacked people and damagedsome shops. Yesterday, police said the clashes occurred when somemiscreants in the procession attacked people and damaged shopsapparently without any provocation. Angry locals attacked themin turn as a result 17 people and five policemen were injured.PTI JOY KKNSD