AGARTALA: Years of unmet rehabilitation promises to surrendered NLFT and ATTF cadres spilled onto Tripura’s roads on Friday, as a 72-hour blockade left commuters stranded, including a woman BSF jawan rushing to see her critically ill father before a scheduled flight.
Seven organisations of surrendered militants, including NLFT (Original), NLFT (PD) and ATTF, began the blockade from Friday morning at Baramura, Khowai Chowmuhani and along the railway track near Bighudaspara. According to police estimates, around 400 former cadres took part in the agitation, blocking the Assam-Agartala National Highway and disrupting rail movement across the state.
Among those caught in the disruption was a woman BSF jawan who was travelling to Karnataka to see her ailing father, whose health had reportedly deteriorated. With her flight ticket already booked, she found herself stuck on the road for hours as vehicles came to a standstill, raising the possibility that she may miss the flight altogether. Her family said she was caught between anxiety over her father’s condition and uncertainty over whether she would reach the airport in time.
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The protesters said they were renewing a stir first launched on June 12, which was withdrawn after Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma gave assurances of action. However, they alleged that their 11-point charter, including rehabilitation and financial assistance promised at the time of surrender, remained unaddressed even two months later.
“If the government had paid attention to our demands, we would not have had to block the roads like this,” a former militant leader said.
At Khowai Chowmuhani, protest leaders said the agitation would continue for its full duration unless the government found a solution within 72 hours.
The disruption drew sharp reactions from stranded commuters at Chandrapur ISBT, where long-distance bus and jeep services came to a halt.
“These blockades and bandhs happen every fortnight or month. Drivers cannot ply their vehicles and passengers are afraid to come to the bus stands,” a passenger said.
Meanwhile, the Northeast Frontier Railway reportedly cancelled or short-terminated several express and local trains due to the blockade, compounding the hardship for daily commuters and long-distance travellers alike.
Heavy deployment of police and Tripura State Rifles personnel was made at Baramura and Khowai Chowmuhani to prevent the situation from escalating. West Tripura District Superintendent of Police Namit Pathak reached the spot, and officials held talks with the protesters in an attempt to restore normal movement. However, the agitators maintained their position, insisting that the blockade would continue as scheduled unless their demands were met.
The standoff comes exactly two years after the tripartite peace accord was signed between the Centre, the state government and the two outfits on September 4, 2024, under which the cadres had surrendered their arms in return for rehabilitation.
