Agartala(IANS) : Indian separatists, including two groups demanding the expulsion of all migrants from Tripura, continue to operate out of Bangladesh despite the change of government there, police said Saturday.
“Despite the changing scenario in Bangladesh, nothing much has changed in terms of Indian militants getting logistic support in that country,” said K.T.D. Singh, the director general of Tripura police.
He said the outlawed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) maintain more than 30 camps in Bangladesh.
The police chief said the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) are supporting the ATTF and NLFT.
“All the Indian militants are helping each other in purchase of arms and training of new cadres in Bangladesh,” he said.
According to Singh, at least 10 Tripura militant leaders have been staying in safe and luxurious houses in Dhaka while “frustration runs high among the ordinary cadres of the militants”.
“Militants are likely to increase their level of violence in the run up to the Tripura assembly elections scheduled for February as they have done in the past,” Singh told journalists.
He maintained that militancy has declined sharply in the state in the past one year.
Militants killed 12 civilians and seven security personnel this year while 13 civilians and 14 security men were gunned down in rebel attacks last year.
Responding to the government’s initiative of bringing rebels back to the mainstream, 227 militants of various outfits surrendered this year, up from 147 last year. Security personnel killed 20 tribal guerrillas this year.