A GROUP of NLFT extremists shot dead three poor and innocent non-tribals and kidnapped three others on June 25 morning, in Jurpukur village of Bishalgarh subdivision in West Tripura. This was part of a series of extremist hit-and-run attacks in this mixed-population subdivision over the last one month, all designed to provoke ethnic passions and to distract the police and the public from counter-insurgency operations. The June 25 attack, in turn, led to a group of Bengali miscreants killing an innocent tribal in the local market.

It was the weekly market day at Bishramganj. Like other such days, the peasants of Jurpukur village were out to their fields before dawn to pluck vegetables for sale in the market on the day. It was then that a group of 8 armed NLFT extremists, with some accomplices, all in olive green uniform, appeared in the village at 4.30 a m. The villagers took them for jawans of the Special Task Force of Tripura State Rifles when they inquired about the whereabouts of a particular villager. Thereafter they entered into the house and ordered that person to come with them, alongwith his two college-going sons and one school-going son. On the way, they also caught hold of a 12 years old boy and dragged him onward.

Realising by the time that they were extremists, the villagers tried to resist the kidnapping bid. The extremists then opened fire, killing on the spot a poor examinee of this year’s secondary examination, a poor peasant and an ordinary labourer --- all non-tribals. Of the three other non-tribals who were abducted, one was released with a ransom letter in the evening.

Meanwhile, a group of Bengali miscreants capitalised on the extremist attack and injured with sharp weapons an innocent tribal at Bishramganj market where they attacked the tribals. CPI(M) activists and other sections of sensible people promptly interfered and saved the tribals. The injured person was sent to G B Hospital, Agartala, where he succumbed to his injuries.

In separate statements, the state Left Front committee and the acting chief minister Anil Sarkar vehemently condemned the extremist and retaliatory attacks as part of the vested interests’ bid to destabilise the Left Front. They said the attacks launched over the last one month were due to these elements’ desperation following the spectacular success of the on-going counter-insurgency drive of the police and the people in Tripura.