3 Tripura workers abducted: Tripura CM warns of a surgical strike

Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb had warned the insurgents of a surgical strike on Saturday over three workers kidnapping.

Minister Deb's warning comes after three construction workers were abducted by suspected National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) insurgents from Maldakumarpara, near the Indi-Bangla border in Dhalai district. The chief minister said that an extensive search operation was being carried out to find kidnapped persons and also to nab the kidnappers.

"When speedy development work is on in the state, three persons were kidnapped by ultras who are trying to bring back the black days of the insurgency. My government will not leave any space for them. I repeat that those involved in insurgency should leave this path forthwith, or else every single one of them will be arrested and put behind the bars," added Minister Deb.

He warned, "Tripura government is like PM Modi's. He knows when and how to do a surgical strike on Pakistan; similarly, we know how to do surgical strikes."

He further said, "The people have not forgotten the day of December 12, 1996, when 24 innocent villagers fell prey to bullets sprayed by the armed militants at Bazar Colony in Kalyanpur. Altogether 18 more villagers are still bearing the pain of brutal attack as they have become disabled. We will not allow bringing back such black days once again."

Meanwhile, the BJP top brass stepped in to defuse the crisis in the party's Tripura unit on Wednesday and assured Biplab Deb that he can continue serving as the Chief Minister.

After a group of BJP members raised the slogan "Biplab Hatao, BJP Bachao", at the state guest house, Deb asked the people of Tripura to gather at the Astabal Maidan in Guwahati on December 13 to decide his fate as the Chief Minister.

Both the CM and BJPs Tripura in-charge Vinod Sonkar spoke to the party's national president JP Nadda in this regard. The Tripura CM was then asked to drop his programme scheduled on December 13.

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