Three tribals killed by Tripura militants

Three tribals -- a mother and her two sons -- were killed by militants in Tripuras Khowai sub-division late on Sunday night.

By Pinaki Das

Khowai (Tripura), Aug.6 : Three tribals -- a mother and her two sons -- were killed by militants in Tripura's Khowai sub-division late on Sunday night.

Police said that the tribals fell victim to the bullets of suspected All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) rebels during a surprise attack on their village at 8.30 p.m. on Sunday. The village is said to be located about 110 kilometres from Tripura capital Agartala.

The three killed have been identified as Krishnapati (55), Malandra Debbarma (35) and Gogendra Debbarma (27).

The All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) was originally the All Tripura Tribal Force, and has been active on the insurgency front since July 11, 1990.

The group split in 1992, with one faction led by Ranjit Debbarma, and the other by Lalit Debbarma.

The Lalit Debbarma faction surrendered in August 1988.

The outfit rechristened itself as the All Tripura Tiger Force in 1992. It was initially a small group of tribal extremists who operated in pockets of North and South Tripura districts. Gradually, it began mobilising manpower by recruiting tribal youth and enhancing the firepower of its cadres. And by year 1991, it emerged as a formidable terrorist group in Tripura.

Over 1,600 of its cadre surrendered by March 1994, under an amnesty scheme offered by the State Government. A group of ATTF cadres which did not surrender, revived the ATTF. It was subsequently banned in April 1997 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Over the years, the ATTF either formed or was associated with fringe terrorist/criminal groupings such as the Tripura Tribal Youth Force (TTYF), the Tripura Liberation Organization (TLO), the Tripura Young Rifle (TYR), the Tripura Lion Force (TLF) and the Tripura National Army (TNA). Most of these groups, however, have ceased to exist.

The outfit's objectives are expulsion of all Bengali-speaking immigrant settlers who entered Tripura after 1956, restoration of land to tribals under 'Tripura Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act', 1960 and removal of names of migrants who entered Tripura after 1956 from the electoral roll.

The outfit is headed by its President, Ranjit Debbarma. Chitta Debbarma alias Bikash Koloi is the Vice-President and Upendra Debbarma is its Organisation Secretary. Malinjoy Reang functions as the outfit's Publicity Secretary, while Subodh Debbarma is its Communication Secretary. Asit Debbarma is the outfit's Finance Secretary.

According to State police sources, the community-wise break-up in the ATTF is as follows. Debbarma- 70 per cent, Jamatia- 10 percent, Reang- 10 per cent, Tripuri - 5 per cent and others- 5 per cent. About 90 per cent of the top ranking ATTF cadres are Hindus and the rest are Christians.

Sunday's attack appears to have been carried out ahead of the nation's 60th Independence Day celebrations (August 15), police sources said.

ANI