On the basis of secret information from an autorickshaw driver, Tripura police arrested ten extremists of a banned group of Meghalaya on the night of June 22, at Hirachhara near Indo-Bangladesh border in north Tripura. The extremists belong to HNLC of Meghalaya. They were coming from Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh after availing arms training there in a terrorist camp. Though they were having no arms at the time of arrest but police recovered rupees 820 (Bangladeshi currency), one Indian mobile phone and four wrist watches from their custody. During primary interrogation the arrested extremists said that they all are the resident of East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya and joined banned outfit HNLC in 2002. That year they went to Bangladesh for getting arms training.
The arrested extremists are Irest Hnang, Joan Peter, West Sinkil, Bamtlang Saini, Goarland Lastrong, Oswal Menglong, Fulmung Mensei, Simpang, Lsarmal Jwala and George Thangsang. One of the group members Simpang told the reporters that there was no BSF jawan on duty in the border at Hirachhara in between pillar number 1841 and 1842 and that's why they were able to cut and make a passage through barbed wire fencing. He, alongwith others, claimed to have got frustrated in extremist way of life and were returning to the Meghalaya to surrender before the police. This is for the first time that any extremists from Meghalaya got arrested in Tripura. Earlier, several insurgents of Nagaland and Manipur were either killed or arrested in the state with arms during their illegal entry or exit into or from the country. It could be remembered that the DG of Tripura police Shri G M Srivastav, in a press statement, said on January 2 this year that ISI has the plan to use Tripura as the corridor to infiltrate militants into India to cause destruction in other parts of the country.
The high officials of the State police think that arrested extremists were telling lie. They had no intention to surrender. Now making a story to fool the police.
(The writer is a journalist and can be contacted at Milanchakra, Opp. DDK, P.O. AD Nagar, Agartala, West Tripura.)
