Tripura Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury on Thursday urged the state government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the unrest that broke out in Shimul Tala village under Unakoti district, allegedly triggered by a dispute over puja subscription collection.

Chaudhury also demanded strict action against those responsible for the violence and adequate compensation for the affected families whose homes, shops, and livelihood-related properties were destroyed.

In a letter addressed to Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha, the LoP stated that on January 10, Shimul Tala—a small hamlet inhabited by around 43 religious minority families with a population of nearly 130–150—witnessed large-scale violence following an incident related to the collection of festival donations.

He said that at least 16 families suffered direct losses, with their livelihood sources and immovable properties worth several lakhs destroyed due to arson, looting, and vandalism. The incident, he added, has also had severe psychological, social, and economic impacts on the remaining families. Even the lone religious place located within the hamlet was not spared during the violence.

According to Chaudhury, 15–16 individuals have been arrested so far, including five persons from the victim families themselves. Among them is a student scheduled to appear for the upcoming board examinations. He alleged that most of the actual perpetrators remain at large and are continuing to issue threats, worsening the situation.

“As a result, an atmosphere of extreme fear prevails in the area, forcing almost all male youth members of the hamlet to flee their homes since the day of the incident,” the LoP noted in his letter.

Chaudhury further claimed that the district administration has provided only Rs 5,000 each to the 16 affected families, which he described as grossly inadequate given the scale of their losses. He said many families are now facing near-starvation due to the absence of earning members and disruption of their livelihoods.

The LoP also informed that he, along with CPI(M) MLAs, visited the affected area on January 18 and 21 and interacted with the victims.

Calling for urgent intervention, Chaudhury appealed to the Chief Secretary to take immediate and judicious action. He proposed the formation of an SIT under a senior police officer to ensure that the real culprits are brought to justice and awarded exemplary punishment. He also demanded the setting up of a temporary police camp in the area, steps to ensure the safe return of displaced youth, adequate compensation for all victim families, and long-term soft loans for those who lost businesses and vehicles such as trucks, tippers, and other commercial vehicles.

Additionally, he urged the immediate release of innocent members of the victim families who were arrested in connection with the incident.