Rehabilitated Bru Reang refugees are at loggerheads with local indigenous people as a violent clash erupted between Bru refugees and locals near Casco camp in Damcherra of North Tripura district on Sunday. As a result at least 13 persons were injured, some of them critically and several houses were reduced to ashes.
Police had to resort to several rounds of blank fire to bring the situation under control.
Massive reinforcement of security persons was made to quell the tension and maintain law and order situation. Senior police officials rushed to the spot and were camping there.
Superintendent of Police of North Tripura District, Bhanupada Chakraborty, who went to the spot soon after the incident, said that 13 persons were injured in the clash and many houses were set ablaze.
Chakraborty said the situation is tense but well under control. To avoid any untoward incident, the North District police chief along with a large contingent of policemen was camping at the spot till the last information came in.
According to sources, some of the Reang refugees had set up road- side shops near the camp. But, the locals, mostly from Charai and Halam communities, raised objection which then led to the all out clashes.
Earlier, On July 19 last, local resident Shanti Kumar Tripura had lodged a complaint with the Damcherra police station alleging that some plants in his farming area were damaged by the miscreants on July 17 night last.
All these culminated into violent clash today. The pitched battles between the two communities and arsons continued for some time. The situation would have turned complicated further as reports of Bru refugees from other relief camps proceeding towards Casco reached. The civil and police administration however succeeded to sending them back.
