Agartala, April 12: Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Kailashahar on Saturday demanding the repeal of the controversial Waqf Bill. But what started as a peaceful demonstration quickly spiraled into chaos when police stopped the rally midway. In moments, the situation turned violent—batons were raised, stones were hurled, and the air filled with tear gas.
The protest, called by all Islamic and several social organizations in Kailashahar, began around 10 AM from Tilabazar. The plan was to march towards the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office and submit a memorandum addressed to the President of India, seeking immediate scrapping of the Waqf Bill.
Trouble began near Kubjhar when police put up barricades to stop the procession. The crowd, estimated to be over 10,000 strong, refused to back off. Tensions soared after a group of unidentified individuals hurled shoes at the rally, triggering anger and panic among participants. Enraged, the protesters broke through the barricades and resumed marching.
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What followed was an hour-long face-off between police and protesters. Security personnel resorted to a lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells to control the crowd. In response, the protesters began pelting stones, injuring several police personnel from Irani Police Station. Among the injured was Officer Jatin Das, who was later admitted to Unakoti District Hospital. Around 60 people, including demonstrators, police officers are reported to have been injured in the scuffle.
The district’s newly appointed Superintendent of Police Sudhambika R rushed to the scene and got into an argument with Congress leader Badruzzaman. The SP warned that if such incidents were repeated, police would have no choice but to take strict action. He alleged the protest had no police permission and that the sheer size of the gathering had the potential to trigger a communal situation.
However, Badruzzaman dismissed those concerns. “There was no question of communal tension. The protest was peaceful until a disruptive group tried to incite violence. I demand that action be taken against them,” he said, adding that he himself was targeted by miscreants during the chaos.
Despite the violence, the organizers maintained that the rally was held to demand rights through democratic means and vowed to continue their movement peacefully in the future.
According to police sources, seven persons have been arrested and will be produced before the court on Monday with a request for remand. Authorities have confirmed that the search for other suspects involved in the violence is ongoing.
Unakoti SP Sudhambika stated that additional forces have been deployed across sensitive areas in and around Kailashahar to prevent any flare-up. “We’re taking all necessary precautions to ensure peace is maintained and that the guilty are brought to justice,” she said.