Tripura sounded alert for safe observance of I-Day

Agartala, Aug 11 (UNI) The Tripura government here today sounded a high security alert to thwart any attempts by separatists to disruption ahead of Independence Day celebrations here.

The Home department officials said the security forces were put on a state of high alert across the state and bomb squads and sniffer dogs deployed to foil any militant attacks.

Banned tribal militant outfits in the state had for years been boycotting Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations .

Extra forces had been deployed to guard vital installations, including national highway, airport and also crowded market places to foil attempts by rebels to target them, said a senior police official here.

Officials said security forces had been continuing extensive search in all Tripura bound vehicles at Asom-Tripura border while Chief Minister Manik Sarkar had already held several meetings with the security forces to observe Independence Day safely.

Intelligence inputs maintained that both NLFT and ATTF rebels were lying low at the moment, but had the potential to strike just a few days before Independence Day and suggested to monitor the civilians movement in Indo-Bangladesh border.

'' The outfits had for decades been striking hard to make their presence felt on August 15 and January 26 and we have reports that the rebels were desperately trying to disrupt the celebration,'' an Intelligence official said.

More than 30 rebel armies operating in the northeastern region had been hosting black flags on both Independence and Republic Day protesting the events.

UNI