ALL Tripura Tiger Force supremo Ranjit Debbarma escaped a bid on life in a daring late night attack by unidentified gunman in a posh locality of the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka. The incident is considered to be a part of the covert operation launched jointly by police and paramilitary forces to liquidate the rebel leader. According to sources, the attack took place in the safe house of ATTF, located at Shyamali within the city heart and there were reports of heavy casualties on the part of the ATTF rebels. At least nine to ten cadres were reported to have been killed and five injured in the attack. Ranjit who was present in the safe house at the time the attack, was also injured and reported to have been admitted to hospital in a critical condition. His deputy Bimal Tripura, who was also with him is also in the hospital. Another report said, the militant leader died in the attack. Under similar situations, the ULFA Commander in Chief Paresh Barua had also survived assassination bid in January 2001. But, this was the first time, such life bid was attempted on Tripura militant leader.

Ranjit’s parent when contacted over phone, refused to identify themselves. Ranjit Debbarma, close to ULFA chief Paresh Barua has been living in Dhaka since he joined the outfit in 1989. By virtue of better educated he rose to the post of Chairman in 1993 after All Tripura Tribal Force under Lalit Debbarma surrendered to join the mainstream. Since then he has been living a luxurious life in Dhaka and possess two fake passports and Toyota car. He is also running a transport business in both Dhaka and Chittagong. Meanwhile, Six militants belonging to the National Liberation Front of Twipra (Biswamohan) were nabbed in Bangladesh on January 1 last after they had sneaked into the country and took shelter in a house. According to sources , an unit of the Bangladesh Rifles stationed at the Balla border , Srimangal Rifle-2 Chunarughat upa-zilla of Habiganj district conducted the raid in the house of one Amjad Mian in the Rema area and caught the militants. The militants have been identified as Phillip Debbarma, Bukhuk Debbarma, Manjak Debbarma and Kathek Tripura, all residents of Dhalai district. The others are Satish Debbarma and Shaila Debbarma, residents of Khowai. The Bangladeshi authorities also recovered Rs 16,000 in cash, Bangladeshi Taka 7,000, one 9 mm pistol , one 303 rifle , a mobile phone and 20 rounds of ammunition from their possession. Most of the Bangladesh national dailies have also covered the news item in the front page, which was considered to be a major development before the SAARC summit. Phillips Debbarma had confessed before the BDR personnel that he and the other cadres belonged to the NLFT and infiltrated into the Bangladesh territory, reported the leading daily Prothom Alo. BDR also raided Shibnagar and Kankipur villages for more militants but could not find any militants. The incident has broken close on the heels of the recovery of another haul at Naikhongcherri in Bandarban district of CHT. The BDR recovered including 32 anti-tank mines and six rocket launchers. The terrorists are suspected to have links with the Arakanese rebels in Myanmar. The list also features seven anti-personnel mines (with booby trap), 10 rocket launcher cell chargers, a grenade-firing bomb, 18 grenade-firing bomb chargers and equipment for 14 rocket launcher cells. However, the reported bid on life on ATTF chief Ranjit Debbarma in a posh Dhaka locality on January 1 last, seemed to have no impact on the Debbarma family. Ranjit’s six siblings are taking life easily as if nothing has happened. When this reporter visited their house located in Bhagaban Thakur Choumuhani in Banamalipur, his sister Basanti Debbarma (20) was present in the house while youngest sister Binata Debbarma was in college. The sister duo had been staying in Agartala since early 90s pursuing their studies while their father Krishna Debbarma and mother Madhu Debbarma stayed back in their native village of Esrai near Sidhai, north of Agartala. However, things had not changed much for the Debbarmas. Only thing that changed was a touch of city life with colour TV, phone, VCD set and self-employment of their three brothers in their village. Basanti said that despite studying in the reputed Bijoy Kumar School, she dropped out while in class X. But her sister Binata is now studying in BA first year in the MBB College. Copies of the mouthpiece of the ruling party were lying in the table that had a lead story on life bid of her fugitive brother at Dhaka residence.  When asked, she said, “Ami patrikay porchi to, kintu kichu jane na” (I’ve read in papers only but do not anything). “ Amrar loge to kono jogajog nai”, she added (We do not have any contact with him).

What if her brother joins the mainstream and led a normal life, she is speechless. Basanti was barely seven when her elder brother responded to the call of  ‘Independent Twipra’ by the then All Tripura Tribal Force (ATTF) and she said she couldn’t recall his brother’s face. “ That’s too long,” she pointed out. “What difference does it make to me, if he is killed or injured when I could hardly remember seeing him for more than ten years.” she said.

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