Tripura Guerrilla Returnees Withdraw Assam-Agartala Highway and Railway Blockade After Government Assurance
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
- Jun 04, 2026
- 302
The Tripura Guerrilla Returnees' Demand Committee has suspended its proposed indefinite blockade of the Assam-Agartala National Highway and railway services following a crucial meeting with Tribal Welfare (tribal.tripura.gov.in) Minister Bikash Debbarma.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday in the presence of the minister, committee leaders stated that the decision was taken after receiving assurances from the state government regarding their long-pending demands. According to the committee, Minister Debbarma assured them that their grievances would be examined seriously and that necessary steps would be initiated at the earliest.
The organization had earlier announced an indefinite blockade beginning June 5, citing the government's failure to make progress on several issues affecting surrendered militants who had returned to mainstream society.
Among the committee's key demands are the immediate revival of the remaining rehabilitation package amounting to approximately ₹23 crore and the withdrawal of all pending legal cases against former insurgents who surrendered and embraced peaceful civilian life.
Committee representatives said the beneficiaries had laid down their arms before 1998 and joined the democratic process through negotiations with the then Left Front government. To facilitate their rehabilitation and socio-economic development, the state government approved a comprehensive package worth ₹45 crore on May 22, 2007.
According to the organization, the rehabilitation programme was implemented from 2008 and continued until 2018. However, the initiative reportedly slowed down following the change in government and was further affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The committee alleged that no clear roadmap has been provided regarding the future of the rehabilitation project. Former militant leaders claimed that nearly ₹22 crore of the sanctioned amount has already been utilized, while the remaining funds are yet to be released for the intended beneficiaries.
They urged the government to immediately restart the rehabilitation programme using the unspent allocation and fulfill the commitments made to surrendered militants who chose the path of peace and reintegration.
The withdrawal of the proposed blockade has temporarily eased concerns over possible disruptions to transportation and trade along the vital Assam-Agartala National Highway and railway network connecting Tripura with the rest of the country.
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