Did Tripura Police Successfully Thwart a Militant Attack Before Independence Day?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tripura Police successfully thwarted a militant attack before Independence Day.
- Two extremists were arrested with substantial explosives.
- The Tripura United National Front (TUNF) was linked to the attack.
- There is ongoing vigilance from intelligence units in the region.
- A major incident was prevented due to proactive police actions.
Agartala, Aug 14 (NationPress) Just hours prior to the Independence Day festivities, security personnel in Tripura successfully thwarted a militant assault targeting the police, apprehending two insurgents and seizing a substantial amount of explosives, according to officials.
A senior police representative indicated that specific intelligence regarding sabotage by an armed faction linked with the Reang (Bru) group—Tripura United National Front (TUNF)—had been received.
"Acting on these intelligence reports, an ambush was orchestrated along the Kanchanpur-Vangmun highway. On Thursday evening, active members of the group (TUNF), Dhananjoy Reang and Sadai Nanda Reang, were captured near the Eden tourist lodge situated under Vangmun police station in the northern district of Tripura," the official elaborated.
Dhananjoy Reang is from Katlichhera in Hailakandi district of southern Assam, while Sadai Nanda Reang resides in Kasko within the Damcherra area of the northern Tripura district.
High-grade explosive materials were discovered in their possession, the official confirmed.
The police official stated that the militants' primary objective was to assassinate police or security personnel deployed for the Independence Day celebrations and to pilfer arms and ammunition to fortify their newly-established TUNF faction operating from Assam.
The official also mentioned that the militant organization (TUNF) is currently in its formative phase, emphasizing that the group's fundamental goal is to execute attacks on law enforcement and security vehicles and seize weapons for their outfit.
"The group has also been strategizing to conduct disruptive activities in the Kanchanpur subdivision to gain maximum attention leading up to this Independence Day. The State Intelligence unit has been vigilantly monitoring the situation in collaboration with the northern Tripura district police for the past two days," the official added.
This successful operation marks a significant milestone in countering a potential cross-border militant threat, the official noted.
"A major incident has been averted, thanks to the proactive measures taken by the Tripura Police," the official remarked.
In a related development, on September 24 of the previous year, a total of 584 insurgents from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) surrendered to the Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Saha, during a ceremony held at the Tripura State Rifles' seventh battalion headquarters in Jampuijala, Sepahijala district.
These militants surrendered to the Tripura government following the signing of a peace agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in Delhi on September 4 last year, attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Tripura Chief Minister, along with other political leaders and officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Tripura government.