TSR rescues kidnapped railway engineer

Agartala, Jun 6 (UNI) The Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans rescued a kidnapped Railway engineer from the proscribed National Liberation Front of Tripura(BM)'s hideout in the Atharamura foothills of West Tripura after a heavy gun battle.

Police said here today that Railway engineer Debabrata Das, of Hailakandi, Assam, was abducted from the Tuikarma railway construction site under Mungiakami police station on April 26.

Acting on a tip-off, the TSR launched rescue operations yesterday in an interior area of Simultuibaklai under Champahower Police Station about 145 km north-east from here.

The TSR's sixth battalion, led by Commandant L Darlong, conducted special operations to track the movements of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (BM) extremists and rescued the engineer.

The militants opened fire from their hideout, sensing the presence of the operation party, to which the TSR also retaliated heavily.

The gun battle continued for about ten minutes and under heavy fire from the TSR, the militants left the hideout and escaped into the dense forest, leaving the kidnapped engineer behind.

UNI BB DPM AB SB BST0945