NE militants outfits shifting bases to Myanmar

With strong stand of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh against northeastern militants, the banned outfits of the region planned to shift the base to Myanmar from Bangladesh, confessed self-style 'external affairs chief' of National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) Utpal Debbarma. Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Tripura police here today said, quoting the confessional statement, northeastern militant organisations had recently floated United Front under NSCN (K) to carry out terror operations across the region. According to report, United Front had been getting direct patronage of Inter Service Intelligence of Pakistan (ISI) and ISI representatives attended their meeting and assured them to extend support to carry out insurgency in northeast. Utpal was arrested early this month from Tripura-Mizoram border on the day he entered the state from Bangladesh and sent to 10 days police custody. He was sent for additional four days of police custody yesterday when he was again produced in the court. The man revealed at present they have a stock of series of AK 56 rifles, 32000 live cartridges, 15 Light Machine Gun (LMG), 30 Medium Machine Gun (MMG) and one air crack gun. The kidnapped eight tribals, including two CPI(M) leaders of remote Debendra Karbaripara in Dhalai district of North Tripura were still traceless. Police said the militants sent a ransom notice to East Chawmanu village council Chief Shanti Ranjan Chakma yesterday and had mentioned a phone number for further correspondence. The militants informed the abducted persons had been shifted to hideouts across the border.