Protest over Waqf Act turns violent in Tripura’s Kailashahar; several cops injured

Agartala, April 12: A violent scuffle broke out between protestors and police personnel on security duty in Kailashahar, the headquarters of Unakoti district, on Saturday. The clash followed a protest rally by members of the Muslim community against the Waqf Amendment Act.

Several police officers, including SDPO Kailashahar Jayanta Karmakar and Inspector Jitendra Das, sustained injuries along with several constables, the police said.

The rally was led by Congress leader Badruj Jaman, who also serves as the Chairperson of the local Panchayat Samiti. To maintain law and order, police had erected barricades and deployed heavy security.

After covering some distance, the rally reached the barricaded zone. Tensions escalated when protestors attempted to breach the barriers, triggering a scuffle with police.

Police officers further claimed that some protestors engaged in stone pelting, prompting the use of mild force.

Speaking on the incident, a senior police official said, “A procession was taken out under the leadership of Md Badruj Jaman. After some time, the rally reached the area where police barricades had been set up. Some protestors tried to break through, leading to a scuffle. A few police personnel sustained minor injuries.”

Police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Unakoti District’s newly appointed Superintendent of Police, P Sudambika R, was on the ground monitoring the situation and supervising the security deployment.

A large contingent of police and Tripura State Rifles jawans was deployed across Kailashahar to prevent any further escalation of tensions. Despite repeated attempts, Congress leader Jaman could not be reached for comment.

This is a developing story and more details are awaited.