Agartala: Surrender of 584 insurgents from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) on Tuesday marked a significant milestone towards peace in Tripura, said Chief Minister Manik Saha.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, who welcomed the returnees at an event said the state, once a hotspot of insurgency movement, is now free from the issue.
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The insurgents laid down their arms and joined the mainstream in a significant ceremony held at the Headquarters of the 7th Battalion of the Tripura State Rifles in Jampuijala, Sepahijala District.
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This event marks a major step toward lasting peace in the state, following a peace accord signed on September 4 in New Delhi between the Government of India, the Government of Tripura, and leaders of NLFT and ATTF.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Manik Saha were present during the accord’s signing.
During the arms-laying ceremony, prominent leaders of NLFT and ATTF, including Biswa Mohan Debbarma (President, NLFT BM), Parimal Debbarma (President, NLFT PD), Prasenjit Debbarma (President, NLFT ORI), and Alindra Debbarma (President, ATTF), surrendered AK-series rifles before the Chief Minister.
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Addressing the gathering, Saha credited the peace accord for bringing the long-standing insurgency in Tripura to an end.
“This is a significant milestone in Tripura’s path toward peace,” he stated.
The Chief Minister highlighted the central role Prime Minister Narendra Modi played in promoting development across the Northeast, stating that the region, once gripped by terrorism, is now largely free from it, with 12 peace accords signed, three of them concerning Tripura.
“Without peace, development is impossible,” Dr. Saha said. “Today, we can proudly say that Tripura is now free from terrorism. The central and state governments have implemented numerous development programs aimed at uplifting the Janajati people,” he added.
As the Home Minister of the state, aha emphasized the importance of peace and reconciliation over hatred. He warmly welcomed the insurgents who had chosen to leave behind their former lives and reintegrate into mainstream society.