Govt sets up tribunal to decide on ban on 2 Tripura militant groups

The Centre has set up a tribunal, headed by Delhi High Court Judge Justice Suresh Kait, for adjudicating whether or not two Tripura-based militant outfits should be declared banned organisations under the law.

The decision has been taken by the Home Ministry exercising the powers conferred under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, an official notification said.

"...the central government hereby constitutes 'The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal' consisting of Hon'ble Shri Justice Suresh Kait, Judge of Delhi High Court, for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) as unlawful associations," it said.

A fresh ban of five years were imposed on the two insurgent groups of Tripura by the central government last month for their "violent and subversive activities", which aim at establishment of an independent nation by secession of Tripura from India through armed struggle.

The Home Ministry said the NLFT and the ATTF have been engaging in subversive and violent activities, undermining the authority of the government and spreading terror and violence among people for achieving their objectives.

The rebel outfits, formed in 1990 with the objective of "expulsion of all foreigners who entered the state after 1956", were first banned in 1997 following large-scale ethnic riots involving tribals and non-tribals in Khowai subdivision in Tripura, in which both outfits intervened on behalf of the tribals.

Tripura shares an 856-km boundary with Bangladesh.