Insurgent activities in Tripura gains momentum

Insurgency in Tripura has gained momentum following fresh recruitment in the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and merger of All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) with NLFT, police said here today. Police said there was fierce incident between NLFT militants and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans yesterday in Khengdra Royajapara of Dhalai district but no report of causality had yet been reported. The militants opened fire on TSR jawans when they were in village on anti-insurgency operation. TSR had also retaliated with counter fire and exchange of fire continued for more than half-an hour. At least three incidents of kidnappings were reported in the state and eight poor tribal villagers who had been abducted by the gun-totting militants last months were traceless for past 24 days. Moreover, the state home department officials said that as many as 15 surrendered NLFT militants had gone back to the outfit in the past one month from Khowai, Longtarai Valley and Kanchanpur sub-divisions. Altogether 300 cadres of the outfit had been undergoing training in Bangladesh and Myanmar hideouts who would reportedly be engaged in militant activities in Tripura soon, the officials stated.