Hundreds of surrendered former militants of the now-disbanded National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) on Monday, 8 June threatened a 72-hour blockade of national highways and railway lines starting 12 June, citing the alleged non-implementation of key provisions of a tripartite rehabilitation agreement signed with the Centre and the Tripura government. The warning marks a sharp escalation in tensions over a peace process that was once hailed as a landmark achievement in ending decades of insurgency in the northeastern state.

Background: The Tripartite Agreement

The rehabilitation agreement was signed on 4 September 2024 in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, senior political leaders, and officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Weeks later, on 24 September 2024, cadres of the two insurgent outfits formally surrendered before Chief Minister Saha at a ceremony held at the headquarters of the 7th Battalion of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) at Jampuijala in Sepahijala district, laying down a substantial cache of arms and ammunition.

At the time, Chief Minister Saha — who also holds the Home portfolio — declared that the decades-long insurgency in Tripura had effectively come to an end, calling the surrender a significant milestone in the state's peace process.

What the Former Militants Allege

Former NLFT leader Prasanjit Debbarma told reporters that around 1,200 former militants had surrendered under various peace accords, expecting rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration. He alleged that despite more than two years passing since many cadres renounced violence, only 79 individuals have so far been identified as beneficiaries of the rehabilitation package.

According to Debbarma, the Central government had announced a rehabilitation package worth ₹250 crore, covering economic assistance, livelihood generation, welfare measures, and other initiatives aimed at ensuring a sustainable future for those who abandoned insurgency. He claimed that a large number of former cadres continue to face financial difficulties and social hardships because several provisions remain unimplemented.

Appeals to Government Go Unanswered, Leaders Say

The leaders of the surrendered militants said they had submitted multiple memoranda outlining their grievances to both the state and Central governments on several occasions — including recently to Chief Minister Manik Saha, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, and Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha — but claimed no concrete response had been received.

'Getting no response from the government to our demands and issues, we are compelled to launch a 72-hour blockade of national highways and railway lines at least at three locations in West Tripura and Khowai districts,' Prasanjit Debbarma said.

Escalation Warning and What Comes Next

The surrendered militants further warned that if their demands remain unresolved, they would intensify their agitation and could extend the blockade for an indefinite period. The proposed disruption at three locations across West Tripura and Khowai districts would affect road and rail connectivity in a landlocked state heavily dependent on these corridors. This comes amid growing concerns that stalled rehabilitation processes across India's northeast could undermine hard-won peace agreements. Neither the state government nor the MHA had issued a formal response to the blockade threat as of the time of reporting.