Muslim rickshaw puller assaulted in Agartala after Bangladesh minority violence reference
Agartala: A Muslim rickshaw puller was brutally assaulted and nearly killed by a group of unidentified men in Agartala on January 1 evening. The incident took place near the Gangail Nivedita Club area at around 6.30 pm.
The injured man has been identified as Didar Hossain, a resident of Abhaynagar, who earns his livelihood as a rickshaw puller. According to his statement to the police, Hossain was intercepted by four to five unknown persons alleged to be Hindutva activists, assaulted, pushed into a pile of sand, and an attempt was made to set him on fire.
Hossain survived after the assailants fled the spot on hearing his screams for help.
The victim later lodged a written complaint at the Durga Chowmuhani Outpost, describing the sequence of events. In the complaint, he stated that he suffered serious physical injuries and severe psychological trauma due to the attack and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
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“Later, they forcibly pushed me into a pile of sand and tried to kill me by setting me on fire with the clear intention of killing me,” the FIR stated.
A local resident, Habib Ur Rahman, said that the attackers allegedly questioned Hossain about his identity before assaulting him. He added that the assailants raised questions related to violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
“Hossain reportedly asked the attackers what his crime was. In response, they referred to attacks on minorities across the border,” Rahman said.
Police have registered a case against unidentified persons under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 109 for attempt to murder, Section 115(2) for causing grievous hurt, and Section 326 related to arson or attempt to cause death by fire.
The incident led to protests in Agartala, with people taking out a march demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and strict action.
Indian National Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman and TIPRA Motha leader Shah Alam were among those who joined the demonstration.
Shah Alam alleged that the police response had been inadequate. “Except for registering a complaint, the police have not done anything substantial so far. This is also the case in other incidents related to minorities,” he said.
Police officials have not issued a detailed response on the progress of the investigation so far.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms lash parts of Uttarakhand; all districts put on high alert
Dehradun (PTI): Heavy rain and hailstorms accompanied by strong winds lashed several districts of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning, prompting the state administration to put all district authorities on high alert.
The sudden change in weather caused uprooted trees to block roads and disrupted power supply at various locations.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman chaired a review meeting with district officials to assess the situation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms at most places across all districts for Monday and Tuesday. Snowfall is expected in regions situated at altitudes of 4,000 metres and above.
An 'orange alert' remains in place for Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar. These districts are likely to witness isolated heavy rain, hailstorms, and intense to very intense spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, the IMD said.
The weather office predicted that maximum temperatures across the state are likely to fall by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next three to four days. During the past 24 hours, maximum temperatures remained "markedly below normal" in the plains and ranged from "markedly" to "appreciably" below normal in the hilly regions.
Dehradun experienced dark, overcast skies early Sunday, creating night-like conditions during morning hours. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7 degrees Celsius, 5.3 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.
For the state capital, the forecast predicts a partly to generally cloudy sky with a high of 31 degrees Celsius and a low of 19 degrees Celsius.
Significant rainfall was recorded across the state after 8.30 am on Sunday, with Jollygrant receiving 21.6 mm and Mohakampur recording 19.8 mm. Other areas, including Mukteshwar (15.0 mm), Mussoorie (13.4 mm), and Pithoragarh (8.5 mm), also saw measurable precipitation.
Secretary Suman directed officials to clear blocked roads on priority to ensure public convenience. Specific instructions were issued regarding the Char Dham Yatra, ordering that helicopter services must operate strictly according to weather conditions to ensure pilgrims' safety.
Isolated places in the remaining hilly districts are also expected to experience thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain spells.
