Agartala consulate breach | Action against 4 police officers, 7 persons arrested

Action was taken against four police officers, and seven people were arrested in connection with the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, police said on Tuesday (December 3).

Three sub-inspectors were suspended and a deputy superintendent of police was asked to report to the police headquarters for alleged negligence in duty, the SP of West Tripura Kiran Kumar K told PTI.

Also Read: Protesters breach Bangladesh consulate premises in Agartala; India says ‘deeply regrettable’

"A suo moto case was registered at the New Capital Complex (NCC) police station over the incident. Seven persons have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in the incident," he said.

Police have already begun an investigation into the incident, and will take steps as per the law, he added.

Security beefed up at Agartala consulate

Security was beefed up at the consulate following the incident, and CRPF and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel were deployed, the SP said.

The incident happened on Monday (December 2) as activists of the Hindu Sangharsh Samity were protesting the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das and atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh.

It is understood that the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi is lodging a protest over the "breach" at its mission in Agartala.

Also Read: Mamata calls for deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in Bangladesh

Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Manik Saha said, "During the protest rally, a group of youth tried to barge into the Assistant High Commission office of Bangladesh in Agartala. I condemned the incident. Peaceful protest can be allowed but such behaviour is not acceptable."

Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi gets increased security

A day after protesters stormed the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala, Delhi Police on Tuesday (December 3) stepped up security around the Bangladesh High Commission in Chanakyapuri, Delhi according to officials.

"The security has been increased and extra police personnel have been deployed all around the commission. We are also ensuring no gathering takes place around its premises," a senior police officer said.

Also Read: Monks protest at Indo-Bangla border over release of Hindu spiritual leader

With the winter session of Parliament underway, Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits assembly of five or more people, is in force in the central part of Delhi, the officer said.

Tripura restaurants not to serve Bangladeshi guests

The All Tripura Hotel & Restaurant Owners' Association (ATHROA) said its members would not serve Bangladeshi guests in view of the insult meted out to the Indian flag in the neighbouring country.

ATHROA general secretary Saikat Bandyopadhyay said the decision was taken at an emergency meeting held on Monday.

"We are a secular country and have respect for all religions. Our national flag has been desecrated and minorities are facing oppression by a section of fundamentalists in Bangladesh. Earlier too such incidents used to take place but now it has crossed the limit," he said.

Also Read: Bangladesh stops ISKCON members from crossing into India

"The prevailing situation in Bangladesh is really worrisome. We serve the people who are coming to Tripura for various purposes. We condemn the treatment meted out to minorities in Bangladesh," he added.

ISKCON urges Bangladesh devotees to practise faith discreetly

ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das on Tuesday said he has urged its monks and followers from Bangladesh to avoid wearing saffron robes and “tilak” in public, advising them to practice their faith discreetly amid safety concerns following targeted attacks against Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country.

"The situation in Bangladesh is alarming. The monks and devotees, who have been calling us, we have told them to hide their identity as ISKCON followers or monks publicly. We have asked them to practise their faith discreetly inside homes or inside the temples. We have advised them to dress in a manner that does not draw attention," Das, who is also ISKCON Kolkata vice-president, told PTI.

He emphasised that the measure was temporary and aimed solely at ensuring their safety.

Also Read: Bangladesh: Woman journalist called ‘Indian agent’, detained by mob in Dhaka

"This is not any advisory or generic guideline but my personal suggestion to monks and devotees who have been calling us frantically over the last few days," he said.

"Many of our devotees and their families are facing threats and intimidation," Das added, referring to incidents of vandalism of temples and attacks on religious gatherings.

The Hindu population, once a substantial demographic in Bangladesh, has experienced a significant decline in recent decades, with the minority community now comprising only around 8 per cent of the country's total population.

This drop is largely attributed to a combination of socio-political marginalisation, exodus, and sporadic violence over the years.

(With agency inputs)