Tripura Police Detain Two Female Journalists Amid Tensions Over Reports On Alleged Mosque Vandalism
The detainment comes after the Union Home Ministry on Saturday stated that the news circulating on social media about damage and vandalisation of a mosque in Tripura is fake.
New Delhi: Tripura Police registered a number of cases against two female journalists Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha amid tensions caused by reports of alleged damage and vandalisation of a mosque.
Tripura police in collaboration with Assam police on Sunday detained two female journalists for publishing or broadcasting reports that are based on false information at Assam’s Nilam Bazar, a top police official said, as reported by news agency ANI.
The police invoked charges under IPC section 153A, 153B, 193, 504, 120B, 204 against the accused persons.
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A statement issued by the police informed: “Two persons namely Samriddhi Sakunia, daughter of Gopal Sakunia of Manwar Para, Jharsuguda, Odisha and Swarna Jha, daughter of Ratneshwar Jha of Rohini, New Delhi have been detained by Tripura Police with the assistance of Nilam Bazaar Police Station of Karimganj District, Assam on 14/11/2021”.
“They are reportedly journalists by profession and came to Tripura from outside the State on 11/11/2021. Their complicity has been transpired in connection with the Kakraban PS Case No. 2021 KKB 082 dated 14/11/2021 U/S 153A/153B/193/504/120B/204 IPC regarding creation of hatred between communities by fabricating, concealing of record etc in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy as revealed from the Twitter post posted by Samriddhi Sakunia,” the police stated, as quoted by ANI.
As per the police, there were discrepancies in what had really happened and the way journalist Samriddhi Sakunia presented the information in her videos.
After verification, police found that no Quran sharif was burnt in the prayer hall owned by one Rahamat Ali, a resident of Hurijala under the limits of Kakraban Police station.
“Accordingly she was contacted over telephone by police on 14/11/2021 morning and she was specifically asked to give details of the document visible in the video. She said that the document was available at the alleged place of occurrence and it is the responsibility of police to trace the document. She also informed that they will be leaving Tripura by 1720 hrs flight from Agartala. As such she was requested by a police officer to stay for sometime at Agartala for her examination,” the police statement added.
It was also informed that the investigating officer on Sunday conducted further verification by examining the house owner Rahamat Ali. He told that there might be some burned documents and these were taken away by a team from Delhi who visited the place of occurrence in the last part of October 2021, ANI reported.
Meanwhile, the Editors Guild of India in a tweet condemned the arrest as it wrote: “Editors Guild condemns this action and demands their immediate release and restoration of their freedom to travel”.
About the detention of two female journalists, Tripura Police said: “Taking cue from the recent violence in Amravati and other parts of Maharashtra as a repercussion of communal incident, it has become clear that some vested interest are trying to flare up the communal incident in Tripura”, ANI reported.
On the other hand, one of the detained journalists, Samriddhi Sakunia, alleged “intimidation”, writing: “I will be putting out a statement soon iterating all the intimidation I had to face while covering the Tripura story soon. Meanwhile, we are seeking legal remedy”.
I will be putting out a statement soon iterating all the intimidation I had to face while covering the #Tripura story soon. Meanwhile, we are seeking legal remedy.
— Samriddhi K Sakunia (@Samriddhi0809) November 14, 2021
Ps. We aren't allowed to move outside from our hotel.
MHA Denies Reports Of Damage, Vandalisation Of Mosque In Tripura
The detainment comes after the Union Home Ministry on Saturday stated that the news circulating on social media about damage and vandalisation of a mosque in Tripura is fake and complete misrepresentation of facts.
It also mentioned 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.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated: “There have been news reports that have been circulating that a mosque in Kakraban area of Gomati district in Tripura has been damaged and vandalised. These news reports are fake and are a complete misrepresentation of facts”.
“The mosque in Dargabazar area of Kakraban has not been damaged and the Tripura Police in Gomati district is working to maintain peace and tranquillity. There is no reported case of damage of the structure of any Masjid in Tripura in the recent past. There is no report of simple or grievous injury or rape or death of any person in these incidents as alleged in some social media posts,” the statement, added.
Citing the incidents reported in Maharashtra, it was further advised that people maintain peace: “People should maintain calm and should not be misguided by such fake reports. For instance, in Maharashtra there have been reports of violence and unsavoury statements that are aimed at disturbing peace and harmony, based on fake news regarding Tripura. This is very concerning and it is urged that peace is maintained at all costs”.
Curfew In Maharashtra’s Amravati
Violence was reported in some parts of Maharashtra following rallies taken out by Muslim organisations on Friday to protest against incidents in Tripura.
In Amravati, over 8,000 people had gathered outside the district collector’s office on Friday to submit a memorandum demanding that atrocities against the minority community in Tripura be stopped, news agency PTI reported.
Stone-pelting was reported on Friday during rallies taken out in Amravati, Nanded, Malegaon (in Nashik district), Washim, and Yavatmal.
A total of 50 people were arrested by the police in connection with back-to-back incidents of stone-pelting that took place in Amravati city on Friday and Saturday, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in Pune and Nagpur on Sunday in view of the stone-pelting incidents.
Also, the curfew in Maharashtra’s Amravati city was expanded to cover four more towns Morshi, Warud, Achalpur, and Anjangaon Surji in the district, a police official said.
(With Inputs From Agencies)
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