Six NLFT militants surrender before BSF in Tripura

By Pinaki Das

Six members of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (Bishwa Mohan faction) surrendered before the Border Security Force (BSF) in Tripura.

The surrendered cadres have been identified as Ramanjoy Tripura, Khorsamohan Tripura, Madan Mohan Tripura, Alajoy Tripura, Meturam Tripura, and Barmita Tripura. Two of them are from Rajendra Roaja Para and Thalcherra, while the remaining four are from Wakhiram Roajapara in Dhalai district of Tripura. They surrendered on Saturday.

A statement from the BSF described the event as a significant achievement in the fight against insurgency, as these newly recruited individuals had been enticed by the NLFT (BM) cadres and sympathizers. The surrender demonstrates their decision to abandon violence and join the authorities, the BSF statement said.

The armed insurgency in Tripura started in the late 1980s when a section of tribal youths, frustrated with underdevelopment and a sense of alienation, took up arms.

Although armed struggle in the state began in 1967 with the Sengkrak outfit, insurgency intensified in the late 80s with the emergence of several insurgent groups, including the banned NLFT, the now-defunct All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), and ATPLO. Most of these groups are now defunct, except for a small faction of NLFT that operates in Bangladesh.

In 2019, the BJP-IPFT government dealt a major blow to the dwindling insurgency when over 80 cadres of the surviving Biswamohan Debbarma faction of NLFT surrendered.

Tripura shares an 856 km long international border with Bangladesh, some parts of which are still unfenced.

Also Read: Tripura Court grants lifer to 4 convicted for cold blooded murder of a bank manager in 2019