Ex-rebels announce highway, railway blockade on August 13

Two organisations representing surrendered insurgents on Wednesday announced an indefinite blockade of railway tracks and a national highway from August 13, alleging that their long-pending demands have remained unaddressed despite repeated representations to the state and central governments.

Addressing a press conference in Agartala, leaders of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and Joint Action for Rehabilitation Committee (JARC) said they had given up militancy and returned to the mainstream in response to appeals from the Centre and the Tripura government. However, they alleged that no financial package had been announced for them.

The organisations said they had been demanding the fulfilment of their nine-point charter of demands for a long time.

According to the leaders, they had earlier staged a rail and national highway blockade on June 24 but withdrew the protest following an appeal from the government.

They said a high-level meeting with the Tripura government was subsequently held, but no resolution emerged. Another high-level meeting was held on Wednesday in the presence of the state's Tribal Welfare Minister, they said, adding that it also failed to resolve their demands.

Following the meeting, the organisations announced that they would launch an indefinite rail and national highway blockade from August 13.

They said the national highway would be blocked at Sadhuchandra Para in Champaknagar, while railway tracks would be blocked at Bhrigudas Para.