Day after 2 top NLFT commanders’ arrest, 3 ultras nabbed in Tripura

The arrested trio was identified as Ganaram alias Baileng, and Rai Bahadur Reang, both hailing from Bhagichandra Para of Anandabazaar village in North Tripura district, and Rai Taingha Reang from Khasnam Para.

Baileng is a self-styled major of the NLFT Parimal Debbarma group. Rai Bahadur Reang is a relatively new recruit and joined the NLFT (PD) in July this year. Rai Taingha Reang is learnt to be a ‘harbourer’ who gave shelter to insurgents.

DIG Chakravertty said a factory-made Chinese pistol, one magazine, three live rounds, Indian and Bangladeshi currency notes, extortion notices, a money receipt book and three mobile phones were seized from the arrested ultras.

The arrests were made during a joint operation by the North Tripura District Police, Special Branch, and the Tripura State Rifles (TSR).

Preliminary investigation suggested that the NLFT militants entered India illegally after leaving their hideout in Bangladesh’s Jupui. However, their motive was not yet clear to the investigating agencies.

Meanwhile, NLFT Biswamohan faction secretary general Utpal Debbarma alias D Omthai, 55, and self-styled chief of army staff Sachin Debbarma, who were arrested from Simna in West Tripura Thursday, were sent to judicial custody Friday in connection with previous cases pending against them since 2020.

Both have been accused of various offences like sedition, waging war against the Government of India, extortion, and criminal intimidation, among others.

Formed on March 12, 1989, with Dhananjoy Reang as its chairman, the NLFT went through a series of splits. A small group led by Biswamohan Debbarma is the only major active wing of the outfit apart from a small splinter group led by Parimal Debbarma.

Parimal Debbarma surrendered along with three others – Mohan Kumar Koloi, Dayananda Tripura, and Bibhas Tripura – in 2014, only to commit a murder at Takarjala police station in 2017, flee to Bangladesh and rebuild a group of his own called NLFT (Parimal Debbarma).

According to the police, the Parimal Debbarma faction has hideouts and supporters in Mizoram, parts of Assam, and Bangladesh. However, the NLFT Biswamohan faction is the bigger group.

Tripura saw massive bloodshed at the hands of several outlawed outfits like the NLFT, ATTF, UBLF, and TNV from the 1980s till the early 2000s. All these outfits barring the NLFT were dissolved in the face of a two-pronged strategy of counter-insurgency operations and attractive surrender packages announced by the state government under former chief minister Manik Sarkar.

The incumbent BJP-led government dealt the last major blow to the NLFT (BM) outfit in 2019 when 88 ultras led by commander Sabir Debbarma laid down arms. Three top commanders of the outfit also surrendered in 2021 and stated that the insurgent group was suffering from severe financial and moral crises.