People's Democracy

 Tripura: ATTF Kills CRPF Jawans

ON October 14, the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), a banned extremist outfit of Tripura, carried out yet another ambush attack on a security vehicle, killing on the spot three CRPF jawans and the driver of the vehicle.

For the last several years, vehicles carrying both goods and passengers are being given pass through the Atharomura Hills track, with security coverage to prevent killing, kidnapping of the passengers and looting of goods by the extremists. Generally, the long convoy vehicles are given security coverage by placing each of the security vehicles within a reasonable distance inside the convoy. Since this arrangement was introduced, incidents of extremist attacks on the vehicles carrying passengers and their drivers have come down to a large extent.

On October 14, however, the ATTF extremists targeted the last security vehicle of a convoy. A high-powered landmine was planted on the highway, and the trap was well camouflaged so that nobody could anticipate of such an attack. The explosion was so powerful that the body of Rajiv Das, the driver of the vehicle, was blown to pieces. Also, three CRPF jawans named Srikumar, R M Perumal and K S Prakash died on the spot. The vehicle and the arms under possession of the jawans were completely destroyed. Four passengers of other vehicles plying just next to the victim car as well as a passerby received grievous injuries.

An investigation following the incident revealed the use of a wire and batteries for detonating the landmine; remains of these things were found in the nearby jungle. Senior police officers rushed to the spot and arranged an intensive manhunt for nabbing the extremists.

In separate statements, chief minister Manik Sarkar and the CPI(M) state secretariat condemned this attack on the patriotic jawans and termed it as a futile bid of the extremists to frustrate the morale of the security forces who have been  heroically combating the anti-national forces in the state. The CPI(M) state secretariat reiterated its demand that the central government send more of its security forces according to the requisition of the state government. The party also fervently urged the people to extend all round cooperation to the security forces in combating the extremists. (INN)