Violence broke out in the Jirania administrative subdivision of West Tripura district on Monday after an idol of the Hindu deity Kali was allegedly defaced in a temple, reported The Hindu.

Central Reserve Police Force and Tripura State Rifles personnel were deployed to maintain law and order in the district, which has been gripped by communal tensions between Hindu and Muslim groups.

Miscreants on Monday burnt down at least 12 homes and looted at least three shops in addition to vandalising a place of worship, reported the newspaper. Fifteen displaced families were provided shelter in a government school. At least two persons were injured.

The police are working to identify those responsible for the violence, West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar told The Hindu.

Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which prohibits the assembly of five or more civilians, has been imposed in West Tripura till Wednesday, reported The Times of India.

The Kali idol, placed in an open space near a temple in the Kaiturbari area, was reportedly defaced due to several days of heavy rain, reported The Times of India. The temple is located about 13 kilometres east of the state capital Agartala.

The idol’s alleged defacement had been discussed and settled among residents, but tensions escalated thereafter, reported The Hindu.

A “peace meeting” between members of different communities was held on Monday after the violence.

At the meeting, the Tripura district superintendent of police and Kumar assured the attendees that they would investigate the violence and provide financial assistance for those who had been injured or whose properties were damaged.

The Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance on Monday called the incident “worrying”.

“I appeal to those who are responsible for maintaining law and order to follow the rule of law,” said party chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya. “When our state is reeling under a natural disaster and so much of stress there are some elements who are only playing religious politics. Miscreants regardless of their faith must be dealt with firmly - law has to be neutral to all.”