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56-607: The All Tripura Tiger Force ( ATTF ) was a Tripuri nationalist militant group active in India's Tripura State . It was founded on 11 July 1990, by a group of former Tripura National Volunteer members under the leadership of Ranjit Debbarma . The ATTF is considered a terrorist organisation by India. According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal, approximately 90% of the ATTF's administration are Hindu and

112-492: A xenophobic stance, particularly hostile towards non-Assamese communities. The ULFA was founded on 7 April 1979 in Sivasagar , Assam by a group of young men that included Paresh Baruah , Arabinda Rajkhowa , Anup Chetia , Bhupen Borgohain, Pradip Gogoi, Bhadreshwar Gohain and Budheswar Gogoi. The organisation's purpose was to engage in an armed struggle to form a separate independent state of Assam. During its heyday in

168-710: A bombing and destruction of a five million-liter petrol reservoir at Digboi refinery in Tinsukia, with an estimated property loss of Rs 200million. On the same day they also damaged a gas pipeline in the oil district of Tinsukia. In the initial years of the ULFA movement (when it used to enjoy widespread public support in both urban and rural areas of Assam among the indigenous Assamese people), cadres were recruited from rural areas as well as from many towns in Lower Assam, Northern and Upper Assam and middle Assam districts. One of

224-558: A number of Tripuri villages in 2000. The NLFT is classified by the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism as one of the ten most active terrorist groups in the world, and has been accused of forcefully converting people to Christianity. Militant activity peaked in 2000 with 514 terrorism-related fatalities in that year. As of 2012, the uprising has largely been brought under control by

280-739: A number of armed uprisings and Insurgency in Tripura . There was a rebellion in 1950, and armed conflict continued to erupt in the 1980s to 2000s. Since 1989, the armed rebellion was mostly led by the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force ATTF). The Bengali side retaliated by forming militias of their own, such as the United Bengali Liberation Tiger Front (UBLTF), which destroyed

336-520: A number of family members of ULFA leaders. With the fall of this government following elections in 2001, the secret killings stopped. Dinesh Barua, the elder brother of Paresh Barua , was taken from his house at night by unidentified Assamese men, Later his body was found lying near a cremation center in Chabua . ULFA's self-styled Publicity Secretary, Mithinga Daimary, also had his five family members killed during this period. Government investigations into

392-719: A press meet held at Amarpur in Tinsukia district. They declared the ceasefire to pressure the top brass of ULFA to sit on negotiation table with the Government of India. But the top brass of ULFA expelled the leaders of 28 Battalion led by Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta (who had managed to escape from the cordon of Indian Army in Dibru Saikhowa National Park). The group later renamed as ULFA (Pro-talk). Lt Bijoy Chinese alias Bijoy Das, Commander of 28th Battalion also surrendered to state authorities in 2013. Between 2009 and 2018, entire leadership of ULFA

448-536: A set of three preconditions for talks and negotiations with the Indian government. Thought government had rejected these preconditions. The preconditions were: Despite dropping the first two key preconditions in 2004 and expressing readiness for talks, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) faced an Indian government unwilling to negotiate on sovereignty. However, progress emerged when ULFA formed

504-408: A small batch of militants had also taken refuge along with him. Paresh Baruah had previously visited China in the 1980s. In December 2003, China spurned ULFA's chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa appeal to provide safe passage to the rebels from Bhutan. During the government of AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta , as a part of his government's counter-insurgency strategy, unidentified gunmen had assassinated

560-511: A social activist and a relative of a high ranking Indian diplomat, was kidnapped and killed. The highest government officer assassinated by the group was local Asom Gana Parishad minister Nagen Sarma in 2000. An unsuccessful assassination attempt was made on AGP Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in 1997. A mass grave , discovered at a destroyed ULFA camp in Lakhipathar forest, showed evidence of executions committed by ULFA. In 2003,

616-470: A source of Tripuri grievances against Bengali peoples. This act stated that any person who came into Tripura would be considered as an illegal trespasser. The Tripuri people considered Bengalis trespassers in their land so they wanted this act to take full effect. Another grievance for the Tripuri people was the fact that immigrants made up more of the population than the natives and they felt that their land

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672-568: A terrorist organization by the government on 7 November, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act . In less than a decade of its formation, the ULFA emerged as one of the most powerful and violent insurgent outfit in Southeast Asia , largely because of the immense popularity it enjoyed during the first decade of its struggle as well as its economic power which in turn helped it in bolstering its military capabilities. In

728-718: A total of 19 deaths. As of 2016, the leadership of the group is as follows: Ranjit Debbarma was arrested in 2017 on sedition charges and was also thought to have been trying to form a new regime of terrorism in Tripura with the All Tripura Tiger Force and the National Liberation Front of Tripura. He was also arrested in Dhaka in 2012. To rid all Bengali peoples from Tripuri areas, specifically those who entered after 1956 The returning of Tripuri lands to their original owners as provided under

784-631: A tough response, forcing a dreaded group of ULFA - 28 Battalion to unilaterally bow down and seek asylum from the government. This particular one-sided ceasefire broke the backbone of ULFA. On 15 March 2007, ULFA triggered a blast in Guwahati , injuring six persons as it celebrated its 'army day'. The ULFA has claimed responsibility for bombings of economic targets like crude oil pipelines , freight trains and government buildings, including 7 August 2005 attack on oil pipelines in Assam. ULFA carried out

840-511: A wing of Indian Railways , a good number of candidates from Bihar and other states were beaten up and stopped from taking the exam by some elements who were seeking 100 percent reservations for unemployed indigenous Assamese people in the said test. In resentment, conflicts arose with train passengers from North Eastern Indians states passing through some of the stations like Katihar , Jamalpur , Kishanganj in Bihar . During that period ULFA

896-483: Is involved in other organised criminal activities such as drug trafficking . Beginning in 1990, the Government of India has attempted to wean away members of the ULFA. This occurred due to the death of the ULFA's deputy Commander in chief Heerak Jyoti Mahanta on 31 December 1991. He had opposed surrenders, but they began after his death. The group has been meeting more local opposition as residents are tired of

952-760: The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), the Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF), and the National Liberation Front of Arunach Pradesh (NFLA). These groups were said to have been linked through extortion and drug-trafficking networks that cross

1008-698: The " People's Consultative Group" (PCG) in September 2005, aiming to pave the way for negotiations. The government welcomed this initiative. Following sustained army operations in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park , ULFA suffered significant losses in leadership, personnel, and infrastructure, prompting their return to the negotiating table in 2005. According to The Times of India , initial talks occurred at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence in December 2005. Three rounds of peace talks with

1064-492: The 11-member PCG, led by Assamese writer Indira Goswami , resulted in a temporary truce in August 2006. However, the truce collapsed by September 23rd due to ULFA's resumption of violent activities against civilians, primarily targeting tea estates and oil pipelines. They also violated the ceasefire by attacking army columns. On 24 June 2008, some leaders and cadres of the A and C companies of ULFA declared unilateral ceasefire at

1120-418: The 709th. While remaining battalions exist only on paper at best they have the strengths of a company or so. Their allocated spheres of operation are as follows: Enigma Force or Enigma Group was an exclusive and near autonomous striking group of the ULFA. It is known to a few top leaders of the outfit and the cadres were isolated from the others. It was designed for hit and run type of operations. It

1176-662: The ATTF committed 7 claimed attacks and another 7 suspected attacks. The first claimed attack occurred in October 1992. The latest recorded attacks was committed in November 2017. The attack was an armed assault on police patrol which left four policemen dead. While all of their attacks have had relatively few casualties, their most lethal attack was in May 2003. The attack occurred in Mohorcherra, India against civilians and resulted in

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1232-518: The Bengali peoples but it never came to pass. This was a move for peace led by Ranjit Debbarma that came with conditions. The primary condition was that Bengalis who entered Tripura after 1949 should be considered foreigners. In October 2018, the Indian government denounced the All Tripura Tiger Force and The National Liberation Front of Tripura for its violent activities. The ATTF and NLFT were given

1288-473: The Government of Tripura and to surrender its cadres lead to the formation of Tiger force .Lalit Debbarma( President) Ramendra Reang( Vice President) Dilip Debbarma( Treasurer) Rabindra Reang( General Secretary) Santaram Reang(Account ) surrendered on 23 August 1993 along with 1633 cadres.But Ranjit Debbarma continued Armed insurgency along with his followers with the name "ALL TRIPURA TIGER FORCE". The Tripura Land Revenue and Reforms Act of 1960 can be seen as

1344-580: The Indian government in 2011. In December 2023, a peace accord was signed by the Indian Central government , the Assam government and the pro-talks faction of ULFA, led by Arabinda Rajkhowa . This resulted in the disbandment of ULFA, the vacating of all designated camps, and the surrender of 8,200 cadres. The accord carried a Rs 1.5 lakh crore financial package, which includes setting up of an IIM and an IISER , new railway and national highways in

1400-636: The Paresh Baruah faction of the Ulfa, which have been continuously raising its voice against the ongoing peace process being initiated by the Arabinda Rajkhowa faction, is engaged in a massive recruitment drive in the rural areas of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur and Nalbari districts of Assam. The Ulfa also has strong following among the Naga people in Assam. After 1985 and before it

1456-510: The ULFA in Bangladesh , which greatly assisted the government of India in bringing ULFA leaders to talks. In January 2010, ULFA softened its stance and dropped demands for independence as a condition for talks with the Government of India. On 3 September 2011, a tripartite agreement for "Suspension of Operations" agreement was signed by the Indian government, the Assam government and the ULFA. On November 1, 2018, suspected militants of

1512-476: The ULFA was accused of killing labourers from Bihar in response to an alleged molestation of a Mizo girl in a train passing through Bihar . This incident sparked off anti-Bihari sentiment in Assam and ULFA saw it as an opportunity to regain its lost ground. The ULFA killed civilians of Bihari origin and other outsiders of mainland India. In 2003, during a Railways Recruitment Board Examination for Group (D) posts conducted by Northeast Frontier Railway zone

1568-526: The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) killed five people and injured one in Tinsukia district, Assam. The attackers, reportedly traveling on motorcycles, opened fire on a group of youths playing ludo at a dhaba in Kherbari village. The victims, all Bengali -speaking workers, were identified as Subal Das, Dhanai Namsudra, Anant Biswas, Shyamal Biswas, and Abinash Biswas. The group's actions reflect

1624-482: The act of 1960 To make the Tripura Merger Agreement of 1949 happen in the region. On 4 September 2024, the group's Chief Alindra Reang along with NLFT Chief Biswamohan Debbarma and vice chief Upendra Reang signed the 2024 Tripura Peace Accord with the Government of India, Government of Tripura ending the 35 year old Insurgency in Tripura . Tripuri nationalism The issue has led to

1680-554: The armed politics and business of Assam . The total number of ULFA militants to have laid down arms has gone up to 8,718. 4,993 cadres surrendered between 1991 and 1998. 3,435 surrendered between 1998 and 2005, when a new policy to deal with the ULFA was unveiled. On 24 January 2012, one of northeast India's biggest surrender ceremonies took place in Assam's main city of Guwahati, when a total of 676 militants laid down their weapons. In 2020, 1,675 militants of ULFA(I) and allied militant groups surrendered. In 2003, ULFA had put forward

1736-538: The authorities through security actions and negotiated surrenders. Tripuri political organizations and militant groups include: United Liberation Front of Assam Bolin Das  ( POW ), The United Liberation Front of Asom ( ULFA ) is an armed militant organisation operating in the Northeast Indian state of Assam . It seeks to establish an independent sovereign nation state of Assam for

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1792-624: The border between India and Bangladesh. The ATTF was caught in 2003 smuggling ammunition and explosives from Bangladesh to Nepal for Maoist insurgents . The Bangladesh RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) uncovered various All Tripura Tiger Force hideouts with large amounts of ammunition and explosives scattered along the Satchhari Forest, close to their headquarters in Tarabon. According to the Global Terrorism Database,

1848-538: The chance in 2019 to defend their recent actions when a team from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs investigated both the organizations. They hoped to prevent the organization from being named as terrorist by the government of India. In January 2019 The MHA tribunal recorded A fresh ban of five years was imposed on NLFT and ATTF, along with all their factions, wings and frontal organisations, on October 3 for their “violent and subversive activities”, which aim at

1904-1098: The early 1990s, ULFA launched an aggressive campaign with victims such as security forces, political opponents, and blasting rail links. In July 1991 the front captured and held 14 people for ransom, included in the abductees was an engineer and a national of the Soviet Union. From the 1990s on the ULFA have continued to carry out attacks. Till the late 2000s, it maintained a number of camps in Bangladesh, where members are trained and sheltered away from Indian security forces. In April 2004, Bangladesh police and Coast Guard intercepted massive amounts of illegal arms and ammunition, at Chittagong , being loaded into 10 trucks and intended for ULFA. A total of 50 were charged with arms smuggling and arms offenses, including former high-level Bangladesh political appointees including Bangladesh National Party ministers and National Security Intelligence military officers, as well as prominent businessmen, and Paresh Baruah , military wing chief of ULFA who

1960-559: The establishment of an independent nation by the secession of Tripura from India through armed struggle. In May 2019 the authorities continued for five more years the actual ban they have with the ATTF and the National Liberation Front of Tripura despite its partial demobilization The Global Terrorism Database stated that the group had been operating under or with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). The group has been linked to other banned organizations such as

2016-572: The front did not begin until 1983. Soon after it finished recruitment in 1984, it began to seek out training and arms procurement from other groups such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN). In 1986 it launched a fundraising "campaign" across India by way of extortion. It then began to set up camps in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh but was soon declared

2072-489: The government of Tripura and the ATTF. Some members of the group decided to stay in the organization even with the memorandum, others left the group and renounced terrorism. In 1997, the Indian government issued a ban under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against the ATTF due to the rioting caused by ethnic division in the Tripura region. In 2004, there was a movement for peace with

2128-559: The indigenous Assamese people through an armed struggle in the Assam conflict . The Government of India banned the organisation in 1990 citing it as a terrorist organisation, while the United States Department of State lists it under "other groups of concern". According to ULFA (Assamese militant) sources, it was founded on 7 April 1979 at Rang Ghar and began operations in 1990. Sunil Nath , former Central Publicity Secretary and spokesman of ULFA has stated that

2184-648: The killings culminated in the report of the "Saikia Commission", presented to the Assam Assembly on 15 November 2007. The report describes how the killings were organised by Prafulla Mahanta , then the Assam Home Minister. They were executed by the police. The gunmen were former members of ULFA who had surrendered to the government. They approached their targets at home, at night, knocking on the door and speaking in Assamese to allay suspicion. When

2240-560: The late 80s and 90s, it enjoyed popularity among many of the indigenous Assamese people of the Brahmaputra valley . The majority of the supporters felt that a powerful organization was necessary to get the voice of a peripheral region heard in the corridors of power in Lutyen's Delhi . But gradually, the organisation's emphasis on extortion and smuggling of weapons in the name of furthering the 'revolution' led to mindless violence throughout

2296-439: The most popular ULFA leader of all time, the late Heerak Jyoti Mahanta hailed from a place which is just a few kilometres from Guwahati. However, with the educated Assamese urban middle class becoming increasingly sceptical of ULFA's method of functioning, the ULFA targeted the remote villages and the predominantly backward areas of predominantly marginalised indigenous communities for recruitment. According to intelligence sources,

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2352-486: The name from "All Tripura Tribal Force" to "All Tripura Tiger Force". The group has various training camps spread throughout the Srimongal and Moulavibazar districts of Bangladesh. In 1993, a memorandum was issued by the ATTF. It expressed the idea that the members of All Tripura Tiger Force wished to stop their violent struggle against the Bengali people. The document also stated that there have been peace talks between

2408-666: The organisation established ties with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland in 1983 and with the Burma based Kachin Independent Army in 1987. Military operations against the ULFA by the Indian Army began in 1990 and continue into the present. On 5 December 2009, the chairman and the deputy commander-in-chief of ULFA was taken into Indian custody. In 2011, there was a major crackdown on

2464-451: The rest are Christians . The group was said to have been formed as the armed wing of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) but split into its own organization. The group was headquartered in Tarabon in Bangladesh . Initially known with the name ALL TRIPURA TRIBAL FORCE formed on 11th July 1990 but difference in the leadership idea of Lalit Debbarma and Ranjit Debbarma on the core issue of signing an memorandum of settlement with

2520-464: The sacking of the Government of Assam under Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and the beginning of Operation Bajrang . On the ULFA's Army Day on 16 March 2003, an IED explosion under a bus on National Highway No. 7 killed six civilians and wounded approximately 55 others. In 1991 a Russian engineer, and national of the Soviet Union was kidnapped along with others and killed. In 1997, Sanjay Ghose ,

2576-539: The state. It witnessed a period marked by growing disillusionment and anger amid supporters. In their bloody conflict with the security forces, many innocent civilians were killed and several thousand were permanently maimed. It is estimated that more than 10 thousand local youths perished during that turbulent period. In the process, owing to the twin factors of increasing operations by the security forces and dwindling support among its core sympathisers, ULFA's importance in Assam has been declined drastically. Recruiting for

2632-466: The then-ruling parties ( Congress and AGP respectively). The ULFA is credited with some bank robberies during its initial stages. Now it is widely reported to extort businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians for collecting funds. In 1997, the Chief Minister of Assam accused Tata Tea of paying the medical bills of the ULFA cultural secretary Pranati Deka at a Mumbai hospital. The ULFA

2688-478: The victims answered the door, they were shot or kidnapped to be shot elsewhere. During the 1990s and 2000s, the total strength of ULFA was stated to be around 3,000, while various other sources put the figure ranging from 4,000 to 6,000. A military wing of the ULFA, the Sanjukta Mukti Fouj (SMF) was formed on 16 March 1996. SMF had formed three full-fledged so-called battalions: the 7th, 28th, and

2744-444: The violence and disruption, and some energy has gone out of the movement. In 1992 a large section of second-rung leaders and members surrendered to government authorities. These former members were allowed to retain their weapons to defend against their former colleagues; they were offered bank loans without any liabilities to help them re-integrate into society. This loose group, now called SULFA, has become an important element in

2800-570: Was already losing its popularity and ground across many pockets in Assam where it had strongholds. However, ULFA took this situation as an opportunity to fan an opposition against ' India ' among people in Assam. They started killing Hindi -speaking people mostly having origin in Bihar in the State. On 15 August 2004, an explosion occurred in Dhemaji District of Assam in which 13 people died, mainly women and school children. This explosion

2856-491: Was banned in 1990, ULFA was credited in the media with many public activities. It has continued a public discourse of sorts through the local media (newspapers), occasionally publishing its position on political issues centred around the nationality question. It has participated in public debates with public figures from Assam. During the last two local elections, the ULFA had called for boycotts . Media reports suggest that it used its forces to intimidate activists and supporters of

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2912-406: Was being taken over by Bengalis, who make up the majority of the population. The organization began as a tribal group made up of extremists but eventually started recruiting tribal youth. This helped to grow the group and make it more powerful. By 1991, the group was a full-fledged terrorist organization. This group was founded under the name "All Tripura Tribal Force". In 1992, the group changed

2968-498: Was carried out by ULFA. The ULFA has obliquely accepted responsibility for the blast. This appears to be the first instance of ULFA admitting to public killings with an incendiary device. In January 2007, the ULFA once again struck in Assam killing approximately 62 Hindi-speaking migrant workers mostly from Bihar. ULFA notoriety as a directionless and unpopular organisation increased, as the bomb blast victims also included several indigenous Assamese people. The Central Government made

3024-529: Was either Captured or surrendered to the government thus leading to disbanding of the all ULFA battalions, besides only part of 27th battalion renamed as Kapili Gut remained. Currently, there are no commanders other than Paresh Baruah. All the others have been downgraded to staff and workers. As per the leaders of the insurgent group, the crackdown against Indian insurgent groups by the Awami league government in Bangladesh pushed them towards joining peace talks with

3080-639: Was headed by the Raju Baruah . On 29 July 1990, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Dibrugarh district Daulat Singh Negi (IPS) and his PSO and driver were killed by an ambush in Lahoal of Dibrugarh district by the ULFA. Some of the major assassinations by ULFA include that of Surendra Paul in May 1990, the brother of businessman Lord Swraj Paul , that precipitated a situation leading to

3136-1062: Was then living in Dhaka . He fled the country. Trials were still underway in Chittagong in 2012 under tight security. They had also maintained camps in Bhutan , which were destroyed by the Royal Bhutan Army aided by the Special Frontier Force in December 2003. These camps housed combatants and non-combatant families of ULFA members. ULFA maintained close relationships with other separatist organisations like NDFB , KLO and NSCN (Khaplang) . In 2008, News Services reported citing Indian police and intelligence officials reported ULFA's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah had taken refuge in Yunnan Province of China, along China-Myanmar border , due to continuous defeat of his Organization. The report also stated that

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