Forces to flush out rebels

Special operations for smooth elections in Tripura

Tripura State Rifles jawans at a ceremonial parade in Agartala. File picture Agartala, March 9 : Security forces are all set to launch special operations in Tripura’s tribal-dominated hilly interiors to flush out militants of the All Tripura Tiger Force and National Liberation Front of Tripura. The move aims to ensure smooth polling on the day of parliamentary elections on April 23. The police are concerned over the presence of two large groups of heavily armed Tiger Force militants in the interior areas of Khowai subdivision. “We have received feedback that on March 1 and 2, two groups of Tiger Force rebels sneaked into Khowai through bordering Gournagar areas and have been camping in the hilly interiors of the Barmura range. They will soon start extorting money and our hunch is that the groups will try to launch attacks on security forces in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls,” sources in the Special Branch (intelligence wing) of state police said. The Assam Rifles, the Tripura State Rifles and the CRPF jawans engaged in counter-insurgency operations will launch special search operations in areas known to be vulnerable to militant attacks. This will be followed by strict round-the-clock vigil and preventive arrests if necessary. The BSF will also intensify vigil along the Indo-Bangladesh border. “We are ready to cope with any eventuality because in addition to the extra measures being taken, we have a large number of camps manned by TSR jawans at strategic and vulnerable points in the interior areas used by militants for moving in and out of the state,” a police official said. He said the Assembly election on February 23 last year had passed off peacefully “because the militants had failed to penetrate even their traditional strongholds in the interiors because of security arrangements.” He added that the Lok Sabha polls would also pass off peacefully. They said after the surrender of over 600 rebels last year, the Tiger Force, like its counterpart the NLFT, had lost strength but its stock of arms was intact and the group had gained in strength through new recruitments. “Their purpose is to make their presence felt and retain their relevance in the tribal-dominated areas by subverting polls. We are prepared for them and operations will be launched to flush them out,” they added.