An Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) tribunal has confirmed the ban on the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), including their factions, wings, and frontal organizations.
The tribunal’s decision, made public this week, emphasized that the cadres of these groups have been involved in serious criminal activities such as kidnapping for ransom, extortion, etc. Operating primarily from Bangladesh, these groups possess significant weaponry and maintain properties there.
The tribunal’s scrutiny revealed that NLFT and ATTF have been consolidating their strength through new recruitments and expanding their sympathizer base to further their secessionist agendas.
Declared “unlawful associations” by the Union home ministry in October 2023, the tribunal’s confirmation in March highlights the ongoing threat these groups pose.
“The two associations have been engaging in unlawful activities that undermine the authority of the democratically elected governments at the Centre and in the state,” the tribunal stated, citing their continuous secessionist pursuits as a serious threat to national security and integrity.
The tribunal also noted NLFT’s collaborations with other northeast insurgent groups based in Bangladesh, such as the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL), Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), and Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
The tribunal warned that both NLFT and ATTF could escalate their violent activities if political conditions in Bangladesh become favorable. Despite ATTF’s current reduced activity, it maintains its weapons and networks in Bangladesh, posing a potential threat of resurgence. The tribunal’s findings underscore the critical need to uphold the ban to protect national security.
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