People's Democracy

IN the backdrop of a beefed up security of VIPs and vital installations against renewed extremist threats on and ahead of the Republic Day, NLFT extremists wreaked their vengeful violence once again on seven poor day-labourers on January 26, making it a point to slash the strength of the CPI(M) as much as possible through such dastardly and diabolical strikes. All the seven killed were members of the CPI(M) supporter organisation, Scheduled Caste Coordination Committee.

On January 26 morning, eleven day labourers went to Sumulchhara off the Atharamura hills, 6-7 km of the Kamalpur-Khowai sub-divisional border of Dhalai district, to collect hay for thatching cottage roofs. On their way back after a day's hard work, they were attacked by NLFT extremists at about 4.30 pm and seven of them in the age range of 18 to 80 were hacked to death on the spot. Another is still missing, while three others could somehow escape the clutch of the extremists. The area is under the security cover of Assam Rifles batallion No 26. The three surviving labourers arrived first in a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) camp to inform about the incident. Immediately thereafter the TSR jawans launched a manhunt resulting in the recovery of the seven dead bodies next morning. Top officers of the Kamalpur sub-divisional administration as well as the local MLA and party leaders rushed to the spot.

Meanwhile a group of NLFT extremists abducted a DYFI-affiliated Tribal Youth Federations, activist on January 23 on his way back home from Santibazar of Salema police station. On January 24 night, NLFT extremists abducted an Upajati Ganamukti Parishad activist (45) from Narendrapara near Kumarghat, North Tripura, and left his dead body at his house next midnight.

A dawn-to-dusk bandh was observed on January 28 in the Salema and Jayantibazar area of Kamlapur sub-division at the call of the CPI(M) local committee to protest the butchering of seven CPI(M)-supporting day labourers and the abduction of a TYF activist. The party state secretariat vehemently condemned the incidents as part of the extremists plot to trigger tension. The party called upon all sections of the state population to articulate their united protest against such barbaric atrocities. (INN)