Tripura faces growing disruption as ex-militants continue blockade
Sep 05, 2026
Normal life across Tripura has been severely affected as surrendered cadres of former militant outfits continued their 72-hour statewide blockade on Saturday, disrupting road and rail connectivity and causing considerable inconvenience to commuters.
The agitation, which began on Friday, has been organised by surrendered members of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), NLFT’s Parimal Debbarma faction and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF). The protesters are pressing the government for the implementation of rehabilitation-related commitments made under the peace agreement.
The blockade has particularly affected movement along the crucial Assam-Agartala National Highway, while train services have also been disrupted. With Tripura heavily dependent on its road and rail links with the rest of the country for the movement of passengers and essential commodities, the prolonged agitation has raised concerns over wider disruptions.
The protesters have been demanding that the government expedite measures promised to surrendered cadres, including rehabilitation and other benefits linked to their return to mainstream life. The agitation reflects growing frustration among sections of former militants who claim that commitments made to them have not been implemented in full.
The current crisis comes against the backdrop of the Tripura peace agreement, under which former insurgents were brought into the mainstream with assurances of rehabilitation and economic support. The agreement was seen as a major step towards ending decades of insurgency in the state.
However, the latest blockade has brought renewed attention to the gap between peace accords on paper and their implementation on the ground. The disruption of highways and railway services has also placed ordinary citizens at the centre of a dispute over rehabilitation and government commitments.
As the blockade enters its second day, attention is now focused on whether the state government can initiate meaningful dialogue with the protesters and prevent the agitation from escalating further.
