Hundreds of surrendered militants in Tripura called off a crippling road and railway blockade on Friday, 12 June, following several rounds of negotiations with senior state officials, bringing temporary relief to a state that had been cut off from essential supplies since early morning. The blockade, launched by former cadres of the now-disbanded National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), was part of a 72-hour shutdown protesting the alleged non-implementation of a tripartite peace accord signed with the Centre in September 2024.

How the Blockade Unfolded

Around 450 tribal youths — all surrendered former extremists — enforced blockades at three locations in West Tripura and Khowai districts along National Highway-8 and the state's sole railway line from 6 am on Friday. NH-8 is considered the economic lifeline of the landlocked state, and the single rail corridor is its only rail link to the rest of the country. Vehicular movement, truck convoys carrying essential goods, passenger vehicles, and train services were all severely disrupted. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) was forced to hold five passenger trains at various stations across Tripura.

Talks and the Outcome

Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, Inspector General of Police (Intelligence and Security) Krishnendu Chakraborty, and other senior officials held multiple rounds of discussions with the agitating former militants. 'Following the talks with the surrendered militants, they lifted their road and railway blockades on Friday afternoon,' a senior official confirmed, adding that the full details of what was agreed upon would be disclosed at a later stage.

What the Ex-Militants Are Demanding

Former NLFT leader Prasanjit Debbarma said approximately 1,200 former militants had surrendered before the Government of India and the Tripura government under various peace accords, with the expectation of rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration. He alleged that several commitments under the tripartite agreement — signed in New Delhi on 4 September 2024 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) — remain unfulfilled despite repeated appeals. The Central government had announced a rehabilitation package worth ₹250 crore, covering economic assistance, livelihood generation, and welfare measures. However, according to Debbarma, only 79 cadres have so far been identified as beneficiaries of the package — a fraction of those who laid down arms. 'Getting no response from the government to our demands and issues, we were compelled to launch a 72-hour blockade,' Debbarma told reporters.

Background: The 2024 Peace Accord

The formal surrender took place on 24 September 2024, when NLFT and ATTF cadres laid down a substantial cache of arms and ammunition before Chief Minister Saha at the headquarters of the 7th Battalion of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) at Jampuijala in Sepahijala district. Following the ceremony, Saha — who also holds the Home portfolio — had declared that the decades-old insurgency in Tripura had effectively come to an end. The ex-militants alleged that despite more than two years passing since many of them renounced violence, the rehabilitation pipeline has moved far slower than promised. They said memoranda had been submitted to Chief Minister Saha, Tribal Welfare Minister Debbarma, and Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha, but claimed no concrete response had been received.

What Happens Next

While the blockade has been lifted, the underlying grievances remain unresolved, with officials indicating that details of the outcome of Friday's discussions would be shared later. The episode underscores the fragility of post-insurgency rehabilitation frameworks and raises questions about the pace of implementation of the ₹250 crore package. All eyes are now on whether the Centre and the Tripura government will publish a clear timeline for disbursing benefits to the remaining former cadres.