Agartala, September 23, 2024: More than 400 militants from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) are set to surrender their arms in a significant ceremony in Tripura, according to officials on Monday. The mass surrender follows a peace agreement signed three weeks ago by the Centre, the Tripura government, and the two militant outfits.

This event marks one of the largest surrenders in the state’s history. The peace accord, signed in Delhi on September 4, was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and other high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Tripura government.

A senior Tripura government official confirmed that the militants will surrender at a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) battalion headquarters in Jampuijala, located in the Sepahijala district of western Tripura. “The surrender is expected to take place on Tuesday or later this week,” the official said. Though the state government had hoped for the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, his busy schedule may prevent him from attending. If he is unavailable, Chief Minister Manik Saha will lead the ceremony.

With this surrender, officials believe the nearly five-decade-long insurgency in Tripura could finally come to an end. The peace accord includes a special rehabilitation package worth Rs 250 crore, approved by the MHA. The militants have agreed to give up violence, surrender their weapons, and dissolve their armed factions.

Under the agreement, the surrendered militants will stay in a camp for three years, during which they will receive skill development training. A sum of Rs 4 lakh will be deposited into each militant’s bank account, which can be accessed after the three-year period. Additionally, they will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 6,000 for three years and be given priority for jobs in sectors like agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, and rural development.

A high-level committee, comprising officials from the MHA, the Tripura government, and representatives from NLFT and ATTF, will oversee the implementation of the accord.

The peace process with NLFT began in 2015, leading to 88 NLFT members surrendering in 2019 as part of a previous agreement. Both NLFT and ATTF have been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since 1997 for their involvement in insurgency-related violence, which peaked between 2005 and 2015.

This recent accord is part of a broader effort by the Indian government to restore peace in the Northeast. In recent years, more than 10,000 militants from various insurgent groups across the region have surrendered and joined mainstream society under the Centre’s initiatives, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a conflict-free and developed Northeast.