Seven people were arrested and three police officers were suspended on Monday after a mob stormed the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, vandalizing the premises and forcibly removing the Bangladeshi national flag.
The attack, confirmed by Tripura police, occurred during a protest organized by the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti against the recent arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.
Initially a peaceful sit-in, the demonstration quickly escalated as a group of protesters breached security barricades and entered the mission complex. They damaged property and removed Bangladesh's national flag, despite a meeting between protesters and the assistant high commissioner being in progress.
A senior police official from Tripura confirmed that the arrested individuals, identified as Jhutan Das, Ujjwal Das, Diptanil Bhowmik, Surja Das, Jhulan Malakar, Pradip Saha, and Alak Majumder, have been charged with multiple offences, including assaulting public servants, unlawful assembly, rioting, and criminal trespass.
A search is still underway to apprehend others involved in the attack.
Following the incident, three police officers, sub-inspectors Dilu Jamatia and Joynal Hossain, along with Sergeant Debabrata Sinha, were suspended for failing to prevent the mob from breaching the premises.
Tripura police have since bolstered security around the mission, deploying extra personnel and initiating round-the-clock mobile patrols.
Tripura Police Director General (Intelligence) Anurag Dhankar visited the site soon after the attack, ensuring additional security measures were put in place to prevent further unrest.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India expressed regret over the breach, reaffirming that "diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances." The MEA also announced the deployment of additional security at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other diplomatic missions across India.
Later, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said it deeply resented the violent demonstration and attack, calling for immediate action and a thorough investigation into the incident.
The ministry also reminded the Indian government about the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and said it was the responsibility of the host country to protect diplomatic missions.