AGARTALA, July 20 � The National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) insurgents once again struck today kidnapping eight tribal villagers from a remote village at gun point.
Police suspect, the abduction of eight villagers is in retaliation for the arrest of NLFT�s self-styled foreign secretary Utpal Baruah from Aizwal recently. Uptal is now in police remand for joint interrogation.
A group of NLFT insurgents stormed into the Debendra Karbari Para, 16 km from Chawmanu police station on Wednesday night and kidnapped four villagers at gun point. The they were identified as Arun Chakma, Ganja Chakma, Sudhyajoy Chakma and Ratanjoy Chakma.
During the retreat, militants abducted four more villagers � Baisakh Chakma, Sumanta Chakma, Kahindra Tripura and Fallenjoy Tripura. The villagers were kidnapped when they were returning home.
Senior police officials along with additional forces rushed to the spot and launched a combing operation to rescue the kidnapped persons. Jawans of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) were pressed into service in the combing operation but security forces could not trace them out yet.
Sources said, insurgents might have crossed over the Indo-Bangla border after the abduction as the area is very close to the International border. However, BSF has been alerted to foil any intrusion bid.
Earlier, at least six people, including a government employee, were kidnapped by insurgents from South Tripura�s Nutun Bazar area on July 1. The villagers were having dinner in a house when the abduction took place, police said.
