CRPF rescues hostages in Tripura

AGARTALA, April 3: In a daring operation, CRPF jawans of the 34th battalion based at Lalcherra camp under Chhawmanu police station of Dhalai district rescued three persons abducted on March 18. Police sources said CRPF jawans based in Lalcherra camp had received feedback from sources that three persons were being held hostage at a secret hideout in nearby Deo reserve forest. The hostages, contractor Rabindra Singh, school student Soumitra Sarkar and another civilian, Uttam Basak, were abducted by National Liberation Front of Twipra militants from Chhawmanu-Chhailengta Road on March 18. On Sunday night, the CRPF jawans started out to raid the NLFT hideout and reached in the early hours yesterday after trekking across 14 km of hilly road. As soon as the militants in the hideout caught sight of the advancing CRPF jawans, they opened fire. The jawans retaliated. Taking advantage of the exchange of gunfire, the three captives stole out of the hideout and took shelter in a nearby forest. The militants soon fled, after which the hostages came out. The CRPF jawans brought the trio here. All the hostages were safe and CRPF inspector-general Vageesh Misra introduced them to newspersons. He said the jawans who had carried out the daring and successful operation would be rewarded. Sources said the family members of the hostages had been preparing to pay hefty ransom. Director-general of police Bhusan Lal Vohra, accompanied by inspector-general (intelligence) Kishore Jha and deputy inspector-general (range) AK Shukla paid a two-day visit to interior areas of trouble-torn Dhalai district. Vohra also inaugurated a new police station at Manikpur under Chhawmanu police station and held a series of meetings with lower grade police and Tripura State Rifles officials posted in remote and vulnerable areas. He laid stress on securing the active and spontaneous co-operation of local people for successful counter-insurgency operations in his discussion with officials.