AGARTALA, March 17 � The banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT-BM) is facing its worst-ever crisis with lower cadres strongly advocating for ceasefire truce with the government.
Mistrust between top-rank rebel leaders and lower cadres over misuse of fund has been widening with every passing day and bloody clashes in the hideouts are likely, NLFT�s second-in-command Panthar Debbarma who surrendered before the security forces at Kanchanpur recently told the sleuths of both Central and State agencies.
According to him, two rebel leaders � Parimal Debbarma and Rajkant Debbarma have already come under the radar of the outfit for alleged misuse of funds collected through extortion as well as ransom.
�In fact, Parimal and Rajkant have been confined in the NLFT headquarters at Tablakandi, some 60 km from the Indo-Bangla border for allegedly misusing outfit�s fund. The duo will certainly return to Tripura if they are allowed after sorting out the problem with the NLFT top brass�, Panthar claimed during the interrogation.
Tablakandi, which falls under Chittagong�s Rangamati district, is the outfit�s headquarters though no top rebel leader stays there for safety.
While Parimal was responsible for collecting money on behalf of the outlawed group from Kanchanpur sector, Rajkanta was looking after arms and ammunition.
According to Panthar, the outfit has no proper record of receipts and payments enabling some leaders to siphon off huge money. Some rebel leaders have already �settled� in Bangladesh by starting businesses there by using the outfit�s fund collected by lower level cadres.
�Now, the lower level cadres want the outfit to enter a ceasefire truce understanding the futility of the arms struggle. However, the outfit�s top leaders have been trying to convince them to stay on for few more months�, he claimed.
Panthor, who surrendered along with his wife and one associate, further revealed, �We were told to wait for few months before the last Assembly election in Tripura and we agreed on it. Now, they (top rebel leaders) want to play the same card, but this time the lower level cadres are adamant for a ceasefire truce with the government.�
On his decision to surrender, the middle-rank rebel leader claimed, �I was blamed of misusing money by the top rank rebel leaders. I had to handover all my movable and immovable assets including two kani of land to the outfit�s authority. Shocked by the allegation I have decided to hand over myself to the Indian authority along with my wife and one associate�.
According to latest intelligence inputs, the outlawed group has seven/eight rebel leaders and 100 cadres in 15/16 hideouts in Bangladesh.
