Six terrorists surrender in Tripura

AGARTALA - With Bangladesh continuing its crackdown against militants active in northeast India, six terrorists fled from that country and surrendered to the Indian authorities, police said Tuesday.

The six National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) guerrillas escaped from their camps in Athang in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in southeast Bangladesh last week. They surrendered to the Border Security Force (BSF) in west Tripura Monday night, a police spokesman said here.

“We joined NLFT in 2006 and received arms training in Bangladeshi camps. Now we understood that terrorism has no future. Leading a lavish lifestyle in Bangladesh, our leaders have misguided us,” said Biswasadhan Jamatia, 25 and one of the surrendered rebels.

“In the base camps of NLFT in Bangladesh, there are huge arms and ammunition but there aren’t sufficient people to use them,” one of the surrendered militants told police.

According to police, about 370 tribal guerrillas of the NLFT and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), including many carrying rewards of Rs.250,000 and with Interpol arrest warrants against them, fled from their Bangladeshi camps and surrendered to the Indian security forces in 2009.

This year, around 50 militants of the two outfits left Bangladesh and laid down their arms and ammunition to Indian security forces.

According to an official document, over 8,000 tribal guerrillas have surrendered to the authorities in Tripura since 1993.

The ATTF and NLFT have been demanding independence for indigenous tribals and the secession of Tripura from India.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said there are about 25 camps belonging to Tripura militants in Bangladesh.

“After the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina came to power in Bangladesh, we have noticed a change in the situation. The extremists have been cornered but not fully eliminated.,” Sarkar said Monday.

“Around 25 camps of Tripura militants still exist in Bangladesh,” he said.