Tripura: NLFT militants release kidnapped persons

AGARTALA

Three construction workers who were kidnapped by insurgents of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) from a village near the Indo-Bangla border in Tripura have been released, police said on December 24.

The workers engaged by the National Project Construction Corporation Ltd (NPCC) for erection of border fencing at Maldapara village in Dalai district were kidnapped on December 7, police said.

They were released on December 23 evening, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Tripura Police Subrata Chakraborty said.

A group of six insurgents, armed with automatic weapons, had raided the construction site bordering the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and took the three workers to Bangladesh, the police officer said.The AIG said the ultras were forced to release the abducted persons because of continuous operations by the security forces, which also mounted pressure on overground collaborators of the insurgent outfit.

Immediately after receiving the news of the kidnapping, Superintendent of Police Kishore Debbarma had rushed to the spot with a police team and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and launched a search operation in the area.

The AIG said the ultras were forced to release the abducted persons because of continuous operations by the security forces, which also mounted pressure on overground collaborators of the insurgent outfit.

Bangladeshi security forces had also launched extensive operations in their country, the AIG said.

The kidnapped persons were identified as Subhash Bhowmik, Subal Debnath, and Ganapati Tripura. (PTI)

(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)