Agartala: An angry mob allegedly assaulted a Muslim auto rickshaw driver, partially buried him in the sand and tried to set him on fire in Tripura’s capital city, Agartala.
According to local reports, the victim, Didar Hossain, stated in his police complaint that on January 1, five people attacked him in the Nibedita Club area after learning about his religious identity. “They forcibly pushed me into a pile of sand and set me on fire with the clear intention of killing me,” his complaint mentions.
As soon as he started shouting for help, the attack stopped. Didar Hossain suffered serious physical and mental injuries and is currently under medical care.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Opposition demands action
The attack has sparked widespread outrage. Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman marched to the West Agartala Police Station, where the initial complaint was filed. He met with the station Circle Officer, Rana Chatterjee, to seek justice in the matter. “The way Bangladeshi fundamentalists are attacking Hindus, in the same way, RSS-backed miscreants are trying to do this here,” he said.
Tipra Motha Party leader Shah Alam also joined the movement and led a group of demonstrators, along with the victim, to the police station, calling for strict action against the attack.
Speaking to local media, Shah Alam also asserted, “What happened in Bangladesh will be repeated here, so we condemn this incident and have submitted a complaint to the police station.”
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