Around 1500 people of Chakma and Tripuri communities from Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) of neighbouring Bangladesh who fled from their houses and took shelter near the Indo-Bangla border at Karbook in South Tripura district following ethnic clashes today returned to their homes, BSF sources said.
"They gathered near the barbed wire fencing yesterday. BSF did not allow them to enter into Indian territory, but provided them food and drinking water on humanitarian ground. Today they returned when village heads and government officials assured them safety and security. They returned by this evening," BSF DIG, B S Rawat told PTI.
Violent incidents were reported from Tabalchari area under Matiranga sub-division of Chittagong Hill Tracts after a section of plain settlers belonging to majority Muslim religious group allegedly attacked tribal villagers from Chakma (Buddhist) and Tripura communities.
Trouble started when two Bengali Muslims were kidnapped allegedly by the Chakmas and Tripuris.
Hundreds of houses of the Chakmas and Tripuri tribals in five villages were set ablaze by the plains people in Matiranga in Khagracherri district following the kidnap on Saturday last which led to fleeing of the tribals and taking shelter in Tripura border at Karbook yesterday.
