Agartala: In a landmark milestone, up to 584 extremists surrender from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) to the Tripura government on Tuesday, three weeks after signing an agreement with the Centre and the state administration in Delhi.
At a surrender ceremony on Tuesday midday at the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) seventh battalion headquarters in Jampuijala, Sepahijala district, the NLFT and ATTF cadres laid down arms in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha.
The cadres of both organisations have deposited a considerable amount of arms and ammunition, including several advanced weapons, during the surrender.
The details of the weapons will 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.
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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 the MHA has approved a special package of Rs 250 crore under the September 4 agreement, signed with the two outlawed militant outfits.
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.
According to the agreement, the surrendered militants will be accommodated in a designated camp for three years. During this period, they will receive skill training in various trades, ensuring their smooth reintegration into society and a secure future.
Under the terms of the agreement, Rs 4 lakh will be deposited in each surrendered militant’s bank account. However, they can only withdraw this amount after three years, ensuring their financial stability and commitment to the peace process.
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.
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–IANS
