Clashes broke out between BSF jawans and villagers over a cow slaughtering issue at Sonamura Motinagar area in Tripura on Sunday morning.
At least four persons were injured in the skirmish. Later local people blocked Sonamura-Boxanagar Highway protesting against BSF. Tension and panic are palpable in the area and security arrangements have been tightened.
It is learnt, a group of villagers were slaughtering a cattle at Fakiradola area in Motinagar on Sunday morning. Patrolling BSF jawans noticed it and asked the villagers to stop. This led to heated altercation between the BSF jawans and villagers.
Situation soon started to spin out of hand and BSF jawans reportedly resorted to lathi charge to bring the situation under control. However, villagers outnumbered the BSF and chased and attacked the jawans.
One of the BSF jawans sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at Sonamura Hospital. Villagers claimed that baton wielding BSF jawans left at least three persons including a woman wounded.
According to local people they were slaughtering the cattle at a designated place – however, seeing them slaughtering the cattle, BSF jawans intervened. Villagers blamed the BSF jawans for creating the trouble.
Refuting the charges of the villagers, BSF sources said the villagers were slaughtering the cattle by the side of a road and the jawans asked them to refrain from doing so. This irked the villagers and led to a clash and BSF jawans were chased away by the angry villagers.
Later, villagers armed with sticks etc ghearoed the nearby BOP and block the Boxanagar-Sonamura Road. As tension was running high, Police along with TSR and BSF jawans were deployed in the area. BSF officials from the Gokulnagar HQ rushed to the spot and attempted to hold discussion with the villagers.
Both the civil and Police Administration are in consultation with the agitating villagers. Amdist simmering tension, situation is stated to be under control, till the report filing.