Five ATTF militants surrender

Agartala, June 2 (UNI) In a major blow to the militant All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), five hardcore rebels, including dreaded IED expert Ashok Debbarma, surrendered in West Tripura district yesterday, police today said.

Ashok and two other ultras separately surrendered to the SDPO, Khowai. The rest laid down arms at Bishalgarh. They had deserted a camp in Bangladesh's Satchari area.

Ashok had been working as ATTF leader since the last twelve years.

He had been active in three areas of the district after joining the ATTF in 1994. He had been imparted arms training in Taraban camp of Bangladesh.

He escaped from the Assam Rifles dragnet on April 27 during a fierce encounter in which one of his accomplices was killed.

The number of arms deposited by the surrendered militants, however, could not be known.

Interrogation of the ultras was on, sources added.

UNI PB PL VD BD1444