Agartala, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Around 400 surrendered militants, including women, continued blocking key highways and Tripura’s lone railway line for the second consecutive day on Saturday, disrupting road and rail connectivity across the state, officials said.
The protesters, belonging to different factions of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), began a 72-hour blockade on Friday. They are protesting what they allege is the non-implementation of key provisions of a tripartite rehabilitation agreement signed with the Centre and the Tripura government on September 4, 2024.
A marathon meeting between the protesters and senior officials, including West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Vishal Kumar, failed to resolve the issue, with the demonstrators maintaining their demand for implementation of the rehabilitation commitments.
According to police, vehicles of all types, including passenger buses and goods-laden trucks, were unable to move through the affected areas. National Highway-8, a crucial road link for Tripura, was blocked at three locations in West Tripura and Khowai districts.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) cancelled, rescheduled or short-terminated 10 express and local trains following the blockade. Services affected included Anand Vihar Terminal-Agartala, Bengaluru-Agartala, Agartala-Bengaluru and Sealdah-Agartala trains.
Security personnel, including members of the Tripura State Rifles, have been deployed at the blockade points under the supervision of senior police officers.
After meeting the protesters, District Magistrate Vishal Kumar indicated that the administration could take action if the road and railway blockades continued.
Jibonjoy Reang, a spokesperson for the surrendered militants, alleged that several former cadres remained homeless and were struggling due to a lack of livelihood opportunities promised under the rehabilitation package.
“We are ready to withdraw our blockade if we get a written assurance from the state government,” Reang said, warning that failure to address their demands could lead to an indefinite agitation across Tripura.
The NLFT and ATTF cadres surrendered their arms and ammunition before Chief Minister Manik Saha on September 24, 2024, following the signing of the tripartite agreement in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Saha.
Former NLFT leader Prasanjit Debbarma said the Centre had announced a Rs 250-crore rehabilitation package covering economic assistance, livelihood generation, welfare measures and other initiatives for former insurgents joining the democratic mainstream.
The protesters, however, allege that economic rehabilitation and the withdrawal of cases against surrendered cadres remain pending.
The issue was also raised during the recently concluded monsoon session of the Tripura Assembly. Chief Minister Saha told the House that economic and other benefits would have to be provided to the surrendered militants according to the prescribed rules.
Opposition parties, including the CPI(M) and Congress, have criticised the state government over what they described as its failure to resolve the demands of the surrendered NLFT and ATTF cadres.
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