RETURN REBELLION: FORMER MILITANTS THREATEN INDEFINITE ROAD, RAIL BLOCKADE FROM JUNE 5

AGARTALA — The Tripura Guerrilla Returnees’ Demand Committee (TGRDC) has announced an indefinite blockade of the crucial Assam–Agartala National Highway (NH-8) and vital railway networks starting June 5, 2026.

The decision was made public during a press conference held here on Saturday, May 30, following what leaders described as prolonged administrative apathy toward their long-standing socio-economic settlement.

The Core Conflict: A Stalled Package

Speaking to reporters, representatives of the committee revealed that the agitators comprise former insurgents who voluntarily laid down arms before 1998, returning to normal life following extensive dialogue with the then-Left Front government.

A comprehensive rehabilitation project worth ₹45 crore was formally sanctioned on May 22, 2007, to facilitate permanent housing and livelihood security. While implementation ran smoothly from 2008 until 2018—utilizing roughly ₹22 crore—the package ground to an abrupt halt following a change in the state government and the subsequent challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TGRDC claims that a remaining balance of ₹23 crore continues to sit unutilized, leaving hundreds of returnees without their promised permanent settlements.

Five-Point Charter of Demands

The committee stated that their repeated formal appeals to the Tribal Welfare Department have yielded no concrete response, forcing them to take the path of active agitation. Their core charter includes:

·         Immediate Package Revival: Direct allocation and utilization of the remaining ₹23 crore balance to fulfill outstanding rehabilitation commitments.

·         Legal Amnesty: The immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all pending, decades-old criminal cases registered against the returnees from their period of active militancy.

·         Agricultural Livelihood Support: Financial assistance and fencing resources to secure rubber plantations allocated under state missions, which are currently vulnerable to damage.

High-Stakes Timing: Amit Shah’s Visit

The proposed indefinite agitation threatens to completely paralyze Tripura’s logistical connectivity with the rest of the country, potentially disrupting the supply of essential trade, food items, and passenger movement.

The Critical Factor: The blockade is strategically timed to coincide with an official visit by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state on June 5. Shah is scheduled to review border infrastructure and security along the India–Bangladesh frontier.

Committee leaders stated that they have "knocked on every door of the administration" to no avail, leaving them no option but to launch the indefinite transport strike if their demands are not addressed before the June 5 deadline.