Six Chakmas kidnapped by NLFT returns unhurt in Tripura

By Tejang Chakma

Eight tribals including six Chakmas, who were kidnapped by an insurgent group in Tripura, have returned home unhurt on 30 November 2011.

The tribals were kidnapped by the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura of Biswamohan Debbarma faction at gunpoint from Debendra Karbari Para, 16 km from the Chhamanu police station in Dhalai district of Tripura on 18 July 2011 and taken them to their hideout in Bangladesh. All of them are jhum cultivators and kidnapped for ransom.

The Tripura Police have confirmed the return of the tribals in a press release. According to the press release, the tribals have fled from the captivity of the insurgents in the afternoon of 30 November 2011. All of them have reported to the Chhamanu police station and were being interrogated by the police.

The names of the eight tribals are given below:

1) Arun Chakma (35 years), son of Lt. Subal Chakma of Debendra Karbari Para;

2) Ganja Chakma (45 years), son of Kaluram Chakma of Debendra Karbari Para;

3) Sudhyajoy Chakma (35 years), son of Debendra Chakma of Debendra Karbari Para;

4) Ratanjoy Chakma (27 years), son of Lt. Subal Chakma of Debendra Karbari Para;

5) Baishakh Chakma (30 years), son of Ratnababu Chakma of Gandhi Karbari Para;

6) Sumanta Chakma (30 years), son of Ratnababu Chakma of Gandhi Karbari Para;

7) Kahindra Tripura (35 years), son of Harendra Tripura of Khetricherra; and

8) Falenjoy Tripura (25 years), son of Ram Singh Tripura of Khetricherra

All the returnees, who crossed from Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh to Raishyabari, had to walk around 70km through dense jungle before reaching Chhamanu. They reportedly managed to flee when the insurgents had gone out of the camp. The insurgents reportedly treated them like slaves and made to work in the jhum fields to grow food for them.