Over 580 extremists of two outfits surrender to Tripura govt, deposit large cache of arms

In a significant development, as many as 584 extremists of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) on Tuesday surrendered to the Tripura government three weeks after an agreement signed with the Centre and the state government in Delhi.

 The NLFT and ATTF cadres laid down their arms and ammunition before Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha at a surrender ceremony on Tuesday noon at the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) seventh battalion headquarters at Jampuijala in Sepahijala district.

The cadres of both the outfits have deposited a large number of arms and ammunition, including many sophisticated weapons in the surrender ceremony.

The details of the weapons would be disclosed by the government later.

Tripura Home Department officials claimed that Tuesday's surrender of 584 extremists was one of the biggest surrenders in the recent past in the northeastern region.

After the surrender ceremony, which was dampened due to heavy rain, NLFT President Biswa Mohan Debbarma said that there would be a formal "flag down" ceremony at Baijolbari in Khowai district to declare abandoning their outfit.

The NLFT and the ATTF outfits signed the peace agreement with the Centre and Tripura government in Delhi on September 4 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister, other political leaders and officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Tripura government.

The official said that with this surrender of militants, the nearly five decade-old insurgency in Tripura is expected to be over.

He said that under the September 4 agreement, signed with the two outlawed militant outfits, a special package of Rs 250 crore has been approved by the MHA.

As per the agreement, the leaders of the NLFT and ATTF have agreed to shun the path of violence, surrender all their weapons and ammunition, and dissolve their armed organisations, the official added.

The surrendered militants would stay in a designated camp for three years and during this period they would be provided skill training in various trades.

According to the agreement, Rs 4 lakh would be deposited in the bank account of each surrendered militant, and the amount can be withdrawn only after three years by the beneficiaries.

Officials quoting the agreement said that each surrendered NLFT and ATTF cadre would get Rs 6,000 per month for three years and these cadres would be given priority in various employment generation works in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and rural development.