From Our Correspondent
Agartala: The merger between state’s two frontline insurgents groups – National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) for united arms struggle has been derailed virtually, revealed Utpal Debbarma, self-styled foreign secretary of Biswamohan Debbarma-led outfit (NLFT).
In course of interrogation, Utpal who was arrested by security forces on July 12, disclosed some starling revelations on the insurgency.
He claimed that there was effort to take over the ATTF, once arch rival but attempt could not make headway due to non-cooperation from it.
“Now, the situation is as it was early arms struggle in different ways,” he told the sleuths.
Utpal, who is now judicial custody, revealed the insurgent group has still strong base in Bangladesh with five to seven hideouts operating.
However, the NLFT holds important meeting in Myanmar in stead of Bangladesh in security point of view. But it has no hideout in Myanmar, he claimed.
It may be noted that NE insurgents have started moving towards Myanmar after new government assumed power in neighouring Bangladesh.
However, most of the NLFT leaders still live in Bangladesh along with their families.
According to Utpal, now the NLFT heavily depends on construction agencies for receiving money as collection of extortion and ransom by way of kidnapping innocent people have become risky.
He said that he used to receive money from different construction agencies engaged in erection of barbed wire fencing, border road and development works in interior areas.
During interrogation, Utpal who graduated from the erstwhile Tripura Engineering College (TEC) did not mention name of any construction agency from which the outfit received money.
The disgraced rebel leader admitted that funding from outside sources has come down drastically over the past few years that resulted in resentment among the lower level cadres.
He also claimed that he was a regular visitor of Aizwal to perform assigned works of the insurgent group.