Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, including a sub-inspector level officer, were killed in a militant ambush while on patrol duty near a border outpost in Tripura’s Dhalai district, 90 km from Agartala, early this morning.

The outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) is suspected to be involved in the incident.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Tripura Police Deputy Inspector General (Law and Order) Arindam Nath said a BSF constable and a sub-inspector, who were posted on duty at RC Nath Border Outpost (BOP) under Chawmanu police station of Dhalai district, were killed in the ambush.

It seems the militants crossed the Indo-Bangla border after the incident,” the official said.

Preliminary reports also suggest that the two service weapons of the slain security personnel were taken away by the militants.

Senior officials, including DIG Northern Range L Darlong, Additional SP of Dhalai district Kallol Roy and other officials, rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

“During the encounter, 2 BSF personnel — sub-inspector Bhuru Singh and constable Raj Kumar sustained fatal injuries and lost their lives. Militants have reportedly sustained some injuries,” a statement issued by the BSF PRO from Frontier headquarters at Salbagan said.

“A massive search operation has been launched in the area to nab the militants,” the statement further said.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb condemned the incident and said in a tweet, “I strongly condemn the cowardly attack against our BSF personnel in Dhalai. The sacrifices of our brave security personnel shall not go in vain. India stands shoulder to shoulder with the families of our brave martyrs.”

Formed on March 12, 1989 with Dhananjoy Reang as its self-styled chairman, NLFT went through a series of splits. A small group led by Biswamohan Debbarma is the only active wing of the outfit apart from a small splinter group led by Parimal Debbarma.

Parimal surrendered along with three others Mohan Kumar Koloi, Dayananda Tripura and Bibhas Tripura in 2014, only to commit a murder at Takarjala police station in 2017. After that he fled to Bangladesh and rebuilt a group called NLFT (Parimal Debbarma group).

Tripura saw massive bloodshed at the hands of several outlawed outfits like NLFT, ATTF, UBLF, TNV, etc. from the 1980s till early 2000s. All these outfits barring NLFT were dissolved by a combination of counter insurgency operations and lucrative packages announced by the state government under former chief minister Manik Sarkar.

The current government dealt the last major blow to the NLFT (BM) outfit in 2019 when 88 ultras led by Commander Sabir Debbarma laid down arms before the police and BSF.

Three top commanders of the outfit also laid down arms earlier this year and stated the insurgent group is suffering from a severe financial and moral crisis.