The Tripura Police on Monday arrested the father and brother of Congress leader Shahjahan Islam after he allegedly made derogatory remarks about Chief Minister Manik Saha and Bharatiya Janata Party minority wing leader Jashim Uddin, reported The Indian Express.

The arrests came hours after Islam’s home in Agartala was allegedly attacked by a mob. His father and brother, Khairul Islam and Najrul Miah, have been remanded to judicial custody till June 23, according to Maktoob Media.

The BJP has alleged that Khairul Islam and Najrul Miah assaulted party workers who had gone to their home to protest against Shahjahan Islam’s allegedly derogatory remarks. The Hindutva party also filed a police complaint against the Congress leader.

In a video posted on social media, Shahjahan Islam was said to have criticised the police and state government for failing to act against miscreants who allegedly disrupted livestock slaughter during the Muslim festival of Bakri Eid on Saturday, reported Maktoob Media.

He also allegedly called Saha and the BJP minority leaders “cheats” and asked members of the Muslim community to boycott them.

Bakri Eid, also known as Eid-al-Adha, commemorates the spirit of sacrifice and entails the slaughtering of livestock.

The Congress leader was referring to the incident when a cow was allegedly slaughtered in public in the Chhanban area of Gomati district’s Udaipur on Saturday, reported The Indian Express. Two persons were detained in connection with the slaughter.

There are no restrictions on cattle slaughter in Tripura. However, the Agartala Municipal Corporation has asked meat vendors to get registered as part of its plan to stop uncontrolled public slaughtering of animals, according to The Indian Express.

This is in line with the Tripura High Court’s judgement from February 2022. The court had directed the state government to prohibit the sale of meat in public places and streets.

Billal Miah, the BJP minority wing president in Tripura and the complainant against Shahjahan Islam, alleged that the Congress leader had made “obscene comments” about the chief minister.

“On one hand, there has been an attempt to malign the state government and on the other hand, there is a conspiracy to create unrest among communities,” Billal Miah was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, in his statement to the police, Islam claimed that he was attacked by a mob upon returning home on Sunday night.

He alleged that some persons were brandishing firearms and wanted to murder him, but failed.

The Congress held a protest against the alleged attack.