AGARTALA, July 1 ? An executive member of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council has been kidnapped by militants of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (Biswamohan faction) from his house in South Tripura district, police said today. A group of about 10 armed tribal insurgents stormed into Ravijoy Reang?s house at Haticherra at 11 p.m. last night and abducted him at gunpoint.
The militants also took away one 9 mm revolver and ten rounds of live cartridges from Reang?s personal security officer Mahim Debberma, police said. Reang is a prominent leader of National Socialist Party of Tripura (NSPT), which is the ruling party in TTAADC and a constituent of the ruling Left Front in the State.
The motive behind the kidnapping is yet to be ascertained, police said. Top police officials, including Superintendent of Police (South Tripura), have rushed to the spot and launched combing operation to rescue Reang.
Meanwhile, 29 people, mostly small traders who were kidnapped by NLFT ultras from Kanchanpur-Kampui road in North Tripura district on June 13 last are yet to be traced. BSF has sought the help of its Bangladeshi counterpart BDR to trace them because the ultras might have crossed the international border and taken shelter in Chittagong Hill Tracts in the neighbouring country.