NLFT self-styled commander arrested

Agartala: A self-styled commander of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) was arrested on Saturday from Aizawl based on inputs provided by the Tripura Police, Director General of Police VS Yadav said.

The DGP said the insurgent leader would be produced before a local court in Aizawl on Sunday and a team of Tripura Police would seek transit remand from the Mizoram court.

The self-styled NLFT commander Parimal Debbarma was found taking ‘special interest’ in the elections to the 30- member Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) slated to be held on April 6.

”We found this faction was taking a special interest in the TTADC elections. We have also come to know some leaders of a national party are in touch with the ultras,” Yadav said, adding that all such leaders would be interrogated based on the progress of the investigation.

Debbarma had surrendered to police and laid down arms in 2014, but fled to Bangladesh again in 2017 after murdering one person at the Takarjala area in West Tripura district.

Debbarma rebuilt a group of his own called NLFT (Parimal Debbarma).

Yadav said, eight cases were registered against the outfit including extortions, especially in bordering areas of Tripura.

The NLFT was declared banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1997.