Surrendered militants suspend proposed NH blockade in Tripura, to meet CM Manik Saha

AGARTALA: A platform of surrendered militants in Tripura has suspended the proposed blockade on National Highway -8 scheduled from Sunday, after Chief Minister Manik Saha called them for a meeting.

NH-8, running from Karimganj in Assam to Sabroom in Tripura, is considered to be the lifeline of the state.

General secretary of Deprived Returnees' Movement Committee (DRMC) Amrit Reang on Saturday said the chief minister has convened a meeting with representatives of the joint body of the surrendered militants on June 13 to "address our grievances".

The DRMC has been demanding proper rehabilitation for the surrendered militants, he said.

If the outcome of the June 13 meeting yields positive results, the DRMC will withdraw the protest but if the discussion is not fruitful, the blockade will begin on June 21, Reang said.

The returnees had a meeting with Tribal Welfare Director, Vishal Kumar, on May 31, and it remained inconclusive, Reang said.

"So, the DRMC had threatened to start an indefinite blockade on NH-8," he said.

Around 800 militants who had laid down their arms in different groups had constituted the DRMC to get proper rehabilitation from the state government.

The Director of Tribal Welfare was not available for his comment on the grievances of the surrendered militants.