Tension prevailed in the Hospital Chowmuhani area of Bikramnagar under Amtali police station of West Tripura district on Saturday evening following allegations of immoral activities being carried out from a house in the locality.
According to local residents, a group had allegedly been bringing young women and married women from Agartala to a particular house in the area for several months and operating an alleged prostitution racket there.
Acting on the allegations, several local residents reportedly conducted a raid at the house on Saturday evening and allegedly caught two pairs of youths and women in a compromising situation. The incident led to considerable tension in the area, with an agitated crowd reportedly assaulting the accused.
One of the accused has been identified by local residents as Priyam Banik, a resident of the Dhaleshwar area of Agartala. Residents alleged that a group had been using the otherwise peaceful locality for such activities for several months.
The situation became more serious when members of the media, who had arrived to report on the incident, were allegedly attacked while carrying out their professional duties. According to reports, an accused woman allegedly confronted a journalist while the incident was being recorded, forcibly took away the journalist’s mobile phone and smashed it.
The alleged attack on the journalist sparked further anger among local residents, particularly women in the area, who reportedly protested against the alleged activities and condemned the incident involving the media.
Police from the local station soon reached the spot after receiving information about the disturbance and brought the situation under control. One accused person was detained by the police.
However, taking advantage of the tense situation, two other youths and a woman allegedly managed to flee from the spot. Police said the matter was being investigated seriously and that efforts were underway to trace and apprehend those allegedly involved.
Local residents have demanded the immediate arrest of Priyam Banik and the other alleged absconders, along with strict legal action if their involvement is established.
The incident has once again raised concerns among residents over alleged anti-social activities in the locality and the need for effective action to maintain a safe and peaceful social environment.