AGARTALA, July 24 (IANS): National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) guerrillas have taken to Bangladesh the eight tribal villagers kidnapped from north Tripura last week, police said here Sunday.
"According to a report from police in Chawmanu areas under Dhalai district, the militants took them to adjoining Bangladesh to avoid Indian security forces' crackdown," Deputy Inspector General Nepal Das told reporters.
Das said: "Following the Tripura government's requests, BSF (Border Security Force) officers held a meeting with their Bangladeshi counterparts, Border Guard Bangladesh, and requested them to locate the Indians, abducted by the militants."
Eleven heavily armed NLFT guerrillas raided East Chawmanu village in north Tripura Tuesday night and abducted 12 tribal villagers. Later, four captives managed to escape from the militants' clutches.
Before the abduction, the rebels beat up other villagers in the tribal dominated village, 90 km north of Tripura's capital Agartala, Das said.
He said the guerrillas led by Atharababu Halam came from Bangladesh and kidnapped the innocent villagers, all belonging to Chakma and Tripuri communities.
Tripura State Rifles (TSR), trained in counter-insurgency operations, led by Deputy Inspector General of Police T.B. Roy have been continuing combing operations to locate the hostages and nab the guerrillas.
Since June 8, NLFT rebels in three separate incidents have kidnapped 22 people, all tribals.
The NLFT and the All Tripura Tiger Force, both banned by the Indian authorities, have set up their base in Bangladesh and get support from other separatist outfits in the northeast. They have been demanding secession of Tripura from India.
