Agartala, June 8: Hundreds of surrendered militants belonging to the now-disbanded National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) have threatened to launch a 72-hour blockade of highways and railway lines across Tripura from June 12, alleging that key provisions of a rehabilitation agreement signed with the Centre and the state government remain unimplemented.
Leaders of the former insurgents announced the proposed agitation on Monday, claiming that despite repeated assurances, several commitments made under the tripartite agreement signed on September 4, 2024, in New Delhi have not been fulfilled. The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, senior political leaders, and officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the state government.
As part of the peace accord, NLFT and ATTF cadres formally surrendered before Chief Minister Saha on September 24, 2024, during a ceremony held at the 7th Battalion headquarters of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in Sepahijala district. The militants laid down a substantial cache of arms and ammunition and joined the mainstream under the state’s rehabilitation programme.
Former NLFT leader Prasanjit Debbarma said that nearly 1,200 militants had surrendered under various peace agreements with the expectation of rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration. However, he alleged that many promises remain unfulfilled despite repeated representations to the authorities.
According to Debbarma, although more than two years have passed since many former militants abandoned insurgency, only 79 individuals have so far been identified as beneficiaries under the rehabilitation package. The Centre had reportedly announced a ₹250-crore package that included financial assistance, livelihood opportunities, welfare measures, and other initiatives aimed at ensuring a secure future for surrendered cadres.
The former militants claimed they had submitted several memoranda to the state and Central governments, including to Chief Minister Manik Saha, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, and Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha, but received no concrete response.
Warning of intensified protests if their demands remain unmet, the ex-militants said the blockade would be enforced at multiple locations in West Tripura and Khowai districts.
