Hours after the chief minister warned against extortion of donations for Durga Puja in Tripura, a group of puja organizers on Wednesday assaulted two members of a family belonging to a minority community in Bishalgarh of Sepahijala district.
A group of youth belonging to the Routhakhala Yuba Sangathan allegedly beat up a father and his son on Wednesday because they did not agree to pay Rs five lakh as Durga Puja donation.
Father referred to Tripura Medical College and son has been referred to Government Medical College Agartala in critical condition.
Officials of Bishalgarh Police Station said that no one has been arrested yet.
A specific case has been registered against eight people, and an investigation has been initiated as per law.
The victims alleged that local Yuva Morcha secretary Saikat Saha had called them to the club. When they approached them, a group demanded a donation of Rs five lakh from them for Durga Puja.
When they refused to pay, the father and son were beaten up and allegedly threatened with pistols.
Later on getting information from local people, the police reached the spot and rescued them.
A few hours before the incident, the Chief Minister of Tripura Dr. Manik Saha, after inaugurating a fish transshipment yard at Nagichera on the southern outskirts of the city, had directed the police to take strict action against those persons who were extorting money for subscriptions to Durga Puja.
The Chief Minister said, “I feel very bad when I see people forcibly stopping their vehicles on the road and collecting donations for worship. This activity is completely illegal. It is disappointing to see that people are collecting money under the pretext of worship. What kind of culture is this?” Dr. Saha said, “I have told the police that our government will not tolerate such acts and have directed them to take strict action. It has become a bad habit.”
