Agartala, 1st September 2026 : A delegation of surrendered militants representing former members of the NLFT and ATTF met Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, seeking early resolution of their longstanding demands.
The meeting followed the road blockade staged by the surrendered militants on August 28 at Khatayaktar in the Baramura area. The protest was led by Kokla Joy Tripura, who, along with other representatives, had raised several issues concerning the welfare and rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Minister Bikash Debbarma had visited the protest site on the same day and held discussions with the agitators. He had assured them that their demands would be taken up with the government and considered positively.
Keeping that assurance, the delegation led by Kokla Joy Tripura met the minister at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday. Senior police officials, the concerned department secretary and other officials also attended the meeting.
The discussions focused on the various demands raised by the surrendered militants and the difficulties they have been facing. The delegation said the minister heard their concerns and discussed possible measures for resolving the issues.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kokla Joy Tripura expressed satisfaction over the discussion and said the delegation was hopeful of an early solution.
“The Minister listened to our demands very positively. We discussed how the issues could be resolved. We are optimistic that the government will take the necessary steps to address our demands,” he said.
Minister Bikash Debbarma said the government was giving due importance to the concerns raised by the surrendered militants. He said some of the issues are already being addressed under the supervision of the Central Government, while efforts are also underway to resolve the remaining matters at the state level.
“The government is viewing their demands with a positive outlook. Several matters are already in the process of being resolved under the supervision of the Central Government. The state government is also working towards fulfilling the remaining demands,” the minister said.
The meeting is being viewed as a significant step towards resolving the issues through dialogue rather than agitation. The surrendered militants have expressed hope that the government’s assurances will translate into concrete action in the coming days.
