Tag: Tripura Riots

  • ‘They were trying to create riots in state’: Tripura Minister hits out at women journalists

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: Tripura Information and Culture Minister (ICA), Sushanta Chowdhury alleged that the two women journalists, who came to report on recent communal incidents in Tripura, were agents of a political party.

    The Minister also alleged that the two reporters wanted to incite people against the state Government.

    “These two people, who identified themselves as journalists, actually came here as agents of a political party and tried to create communal riot-like situation in the state. They even tried to incite a section of people against our government. I doubt they are journalists”, Chowdhury claimed before reporters at the Civil Secretariat here last night.

    Two women journalists – Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha – from HW News Network, who came to Tripura to write on the recent communal incidents in Tripura were detained by Assam police at Karimganj’s Neelam Bazar, close to Assam-Tripura border on Sunday.

    Later they were brought to Tripura and formally arrested on Monday morning on charges of posting inflammatory and fake news on social media.

    Among others, the Editors Guild of India protested the arrests.

    The duo were however later released on bail on Monday.

    Chowdhury alleged the two reporters were asked to answer questions of the police at Agartala in connection with a case registered against them at Kakraban in Gomati district but they gave false statements and left Tripura through Assam without intimation.

    He claimed they posted fake footage and photos from outside Tripura even before visiting the spot and gave an impression that they are in the state and claimed a mosque was burnt.

    “Her posts in social media incited the people to hit the streets at Amaravati in Maharashtra and protest against incidents which didn’t happen here. Many journalists from outside did bad reporting and wrote what did not happen in the state”, Chowdhury said.

    He also alleged that a conspiracy was hatched against the state government.

    Without naming any political party, Chowdhury alleged politicians are indulging in hooliganism and anti-social activities by bringing people from West Bengal.

    “An agency was engaged by a political party, who are sending people in the guise of salesmen or journalists and trying to motivate people against the government,” he claimed, adding “I would request people not to be misguided by the conspiracy.”

    The journalists were arrested by Tripura police on Monday morning and produced before the CJM’s court in Gomati district and later granted bail.

    The official said the journalists had posted on social media that a mosque was burnt in Gomati district and a copy of the Quran was damaged.

    Police suspect that the videos uploaded were doctored and wanted to verify their genuineness or otherwise, officials claimed.

    In a tweet on November 11, Sakunia had written: #Tripuraviolence Darga Bazaar: On 19th October at around 2:30 am, some unidentified people burnt down the mosque in the Darga Bazaar area.

    People in the neighborhood are very upset with the fact that now they don’t have any place nearby to go and pray.

    A press release issued by the office of Tripura police chief V S Yadav had claimed that Sakunia’s posts were not true and promoted a sense of hatred between communities.

    In this social media post, she also attached a video of her visit to the half-burnt prayer hall in the house of one Rahamat Ali of Hurijala, PS Kakraban on 11/11/2021 to claim that one holy Quran was burned in the incident which occurred on the night of 19/10/2021 which refers to Kakraban PS Case No.74/2021 U/S 436 IPC.

    “This is contrary to the findings so far revealed in the course of investigation as presence of no such damaged books/documents was brought to the notice of investigating officer and fire service staff who extinguished the fire,” the police statement said.

  • Arrested women scribes to be handed over to Tripura cops on Monday; Editors Guild, IWPC condemn the detentions

    By PTI

    AGARTALA/KARIMGANJ: Two women journalists, who came to Tripura to write on the recent communal incidents in Tripura were detained by Assam police at Karimganj’s Neelam Bazar, close to Assam-Tripura border on Sunday, police officials in both states confirmed.

    Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists with HW News Network, were named in a FIR at Fatikroy Police Station of Tripura on Sunday based on a complaint filed by a supporter of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), alleging that they had maligned the image of Tripura government by their reporting, according to a statement issued by their employer.

    The duo are being kept at a government-run shelter home for women for the night and will be handed over to the Tripura police on Monday morning, an Assam police officer said.

    The two scribes were held by Assam Police on their way to Silchar airport later on Sunday, with Assam Police informing them that they were being held as “Tripura Police asked (Assam Police) to detain them (the duo)’.”

    In a tweet, Sakunia wrote, “We have been detained at the Nilambazar police station, Karimganj, Assam. We were informed by the officer-in-charge of Nilambazar PS that SP of Gomti District gave the orders for our detention.”

    A senior police official in Agartala said that they were detained on the basis of requests by Tripura police and a team of Tripura Police officials from Dharmanagar has gone to Nilambazaar to bring them.

    The official said, the journalists posted on social media that a mosque was burnt in Gomati district and a copy of the Quran was damaged.

    “Police suspect that the videos uploaded by her were doctored and police wanted to know if the videos were fake were true by interrogating them”, he added.

    In a tweet on November 11, Sakunia had written, “#Tripuraviolence Darga Bazaar: On 19th October at around 2:30 am, some unidentified people burnt down the mosque in Darga Bazaar area. People in the neighborhood are very upset with the fact that now they don’t have any place nearby to go and pray.”

    The police official said, “The journalists had a travel plan to fly outside Tripura and police asked them to meet some police officials before leaving the state. The duo then changed their travel plan and started for Silchar in Assam without informing us. So Tripura police requested Assam police on the basis of which they detained the journalists.”

    A press release issued from the office of Tripura Police Director General VS Yadav claimed that the posts by Sakunia were not true and promoting a sense of hatred between communities.

    “In this social media post, she posted a video of her visit to the half burned prayer hall damaged by mischievous fire in the house of one Rahamat Ali of Hurijala, PS Kakraban on 11/11/2021 to claim that one holy Quran was burned in the incident occurred on the night of 19/10/2021 which refers to Kakraban PS Case No.74/2021 U/S 436 IPC.”

    “This is contrary to the findings so far revealed in course of investigation as presence of no such damaged books/documents was brought to the notice of investigating officer and fire service staff who extinguished the fire,” the police statement said.

    The statement added that a team of lawyers, who visited the state earlier, had made a similar claim with a “questionable photograph”.

    It added that people with “vested interests” were trying to flare up communal tension in the state.

    The Editors Guild of India (EGI) and Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) on Sunday condemned the detention of two women journalists.

    Police officials in both the states have confirmed that Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists with HW News Network, who went to Tripura to write on the recent communal incidents there, were detained by the Assam Police at Karimganj’s Neelam Bazar, close to the border between the two states on Sunday.

    “Editors Guild condemns this action and demands their immediate release and restoration of their freedom to travel,” the EGI said in a statement.

    The IWPC also condemned the police action against the two journalists and demanded that they should be allowed to do their job without any fear.

    “We understand that the two women journalists, Ms Sakuni and Ms Jha, are to be taken back to Tripura for questioning,” the IWPC said, adding, “We demand that they be released immediately and be allowed to do their job.”

    The official said the journalists had posted on social media that a mosque was burnt in Gomati district and a copy of the Quran was damaged.

    “Police suspect that the videos uploaded by her were doctored and police wanted to know if the videos were fake or true by interrogating them,” he added.

  • Arrested women scribes to be handed over to Tripura cops on Monday; Opposition, media bodies protest

    By PTI

    AGARTALA/KARIMGANJ: Two women journalists, who came to Tripura to write on the recent communal incidents in Tripura were detained by Assam police at Karimganj’s Neelam Bazar, close to Assam-Tripura border on Sunday, police officials in both states confirmed.

    Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists with HW News Network, were named in a FIR at Fatikroy Police Station of Tripura on Sunday based on a complaint filed by a supporter of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), alleging that they had maligned the image of Tripura government by their reporting, according to a statement issued by their employer.

    The duo are being kept at a government-run shelter home for women for the night and will be handed over to the Tripura police on Monday morning, an Assam police officer said.

    The two scribes were held by Assam Police on their way to Silchar airport later on Sunday, with Assam Police informing them that they were being held as “Tripura Police asked (Assam Police) to detain them (the duo)’.”

    In a tweet, Sakunia wrote, “We have been detained at the Nilambazar police station, Karimganj, Assam. We were informed by the officer-in-charge of Nilambazar PS that SP of Gomti District gave the orders for our detention.”

    A senior police official in Agartala said that they were detained on the basis of requests by Tripura police and a team of Tripura Police officials from Dharmanagar has gone to Nilambazaar to bring them.

    The official said, the journalists posted on social media that a mosque was burnt in Gomati district and a copy of the Quran was damaged.

    “Police suspect that the videos uploaded by her were doctored and police wanted to know if the videos were fake were true by interrogating them”, he added.

    In a tweet on November 11, Sakunia had written, “#Tripuraviolence Darga Bazaar: On 19th October at around 2:30 am, some unidentified people burnt down the mosque in Darga Bazaar area. People in the neighborhood are very upset with the fact that now they don’t have any place nearby to go and pray.”

    The police official said, “The journalists had a travel plan to fly outside Tripura and police asked them to meet some police officials before leaving the state. The duo then changed their travel plan and started for Silchar in Assam without informing us. So Tripura police requested Assam police on the basis of which they detained the journalists.”

    A press release issued from the office of Tripura Police Director General VS Yadav claimed that the posts by Sakunia were not true and promoting a sense of hatred between communities.

    “In this social media post, she posted a video of her visit to the half burned prayer hall damaged by mischievous fire in the house of one Rahamat Ali of Hurijala, PS Kakraban on 11/11/2021 to claim that one holy Quran was burned in the incident occurred on the night of 19/10/2021 which refers to Kakraban PS Case No.74/2021 U/S 436 IPC.”

    “This is contrary to the findings so far revealed in course of investigation as presence of no such damaged books/documents was brought to the notice of investigating officer and fire service staff who extinguished the fire,” the police statement said.

    The statement added that a team of lawyers, who visited the state earlier, had made a similar claim with a “questionable photograph”.

    It added that people with “vested interests” were trying to flare up communal tension in the state.

    The Editors Guild of India (EGI) and Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) on Sunday condemned the detention of two women journalists.

    Police officials in both the states have confirmed that Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists with HW News Network, who went to Tripura to write on the recent communal incidents there, were detained by the Assam Police at Karimganj’s Neelam Bazar, close to the border between the two states on Sunday.

    “Editors Guild condemns this action and demands their immediate release and restoration of their freedom to travel,” the EGI said in a statement.

    The IWPC also condemned the police action against the two journalists and demanded that they should be allowed to do their job without any fear.

    “We understand that the two women journalists, Ms Sakuni and Ms Jha, are to be taken back to Tripura for questioning,” the IWPC said, adding, “We demand that they be released immediately and be allowed to do their job.”

    The official said the journalists had posted on social media that a mosque was burnt in Gomati district and a copy of the Quran was damaged.

    “Police suspect that the videos uploaded by her were doctored and police wanted to know if the videos were fake or true by interrogating them,” he added.

    The BJP is busy “killing” journalism but when has the truth stopped in the face of lies, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday  over the detentions.

    “The BJP system is busy killing journalism. But when has the truth stopped in the face of lies?” Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. He used the hashtag ‘Tripura’ and ‘NoFear’.

  • ‘Complete misrepresentation of facts’: MHA on ‘attacks’ on mosques, women in Tripura

    It also said that there is no report of simple or grievous injury or rape or death of any person in any such incidents in Tripura as alleged in some social media posts.