New twist to abduction of TTAADC member

AGARTALA, May 9 ? The mystery surrounding the abduction of Tripura Tribal Area Autonomuos District Council Executive Member Sridam Debbarma has taken a new turn as an eye witness said the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura leader had gone to meet the militants on his own. The eye-witness in a deposition before a first class magistrate, said that on May 3 Debbarma held one hour-long talks with three outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) militants-two among them armed with AK 47 and one overground collaborator at the residence of his relative Niranjan Debbarma, at Gurudayalpara in West District. The TTAADC executive member was accompanied by Mevar Kumar Jamatia, former Tribal Student Federation student wing of the INPT. The witness said after the executive member came out of the room, the two armed militants appeared once again and asked Debbarma to accompany them. They said he was being taken at the order of the NLFT high command. Police arrested both Mevar and Niranjan. The eye witness deposition before the magistrate under 164 CrPC has strengthened the police version that the ADC executive member had voluntarily met the militants from where he was kidnapped. Police sources said during interrogation Mevar divulged many important information. Mevar?s role in the abduction is also not ruled out altogether. Both Mevar and Debbarma were expecting to contest the ensuing Assembly elections from Takarjala constituency. According to police sources, the Biswamohan faction of NLFT was piqued at the way Sridam Debbarma reportedly maintaining relations with the breakway group of the NLFT led by Nayanbashi Jamatia. ?The meeting is reported to have discussed the issue only,? said a police officer on condition of anonymity. ?A massive search operation is on and we have come to know that the militant gang responsible for Sridam Debbarma?s abduction was dominated by Jamatia cadres. They are still moving around Takarjala areas.? It may be mentioned here that the INPT, an ally of the opposition Congress, is alleged to have been maintaining links with the NLFT Biswamohan faction.