NLFT hostages return home with Bangladesh supports: Officials

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DHAKA, Dec 25, 2020 (BSS) – Three Indian nationals returned safely
at their home in Tripura nearly two weeks after separatist National
Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) operatives reportedly abducted them
with officials and media reports saying Bangladesh’s security forces
actions largely contributed to the rescue campaign.

Bangladeshi security officials familiar with the development said
their stringent vigil debarred the NLFT operatives to use Bangladesh
territories as abductors makeshift hideout to keep the hostages, who
eventually returned safely in Tripura state two days ago.

“We constantly keep a watch so no foreign insurgent or terrorist
groups could use our (Bangladesh) territory,” a security official said
today, preferring anonymity.

Media reports in India’s Tripura acknowledged as well Bangladesh
supports in their rescue as part of Dhaka’s determination not to let
any foreign terrorist or insurgent group use the country’s soil.

“The three abducted (Indian) construction workers . . . have
reached the Dipipara BSF outpost,” the Jagorron Tripura online portal
reported.

According to the reports, the abductors were forced to set the
hostages free finding no scope to hide them in frontier areas due to
the stringent security vigil by Bangladeshi border guards and security
agencies.

NILF is a separatist outfit that seeks Tripura’s independence from
India and despite a peace agreement with Indian authorities a faction
of the group remained operational.