When in Kalyanpur (in Tripura), Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said he would go for ‘surgical strike’ if so required to get the three kidnapped persons – Subash Bhowmik, Subal Debnath and Gana Mohan Tripura abducted on December 7 last – he was not just merely making a threat. In fact, he had by then already initiated an operation, if not alike, but akin to surgical operation to get back the hostages from the NLFT clutches – and that too with the full and wholesome cooperation from the Bangladesh government.
Highly placed sources said, no sooner than it became clear that the NLFT militants had taken the three to Bangladesh, the Chief Minister made a direct telephone call to Sheikh Hasina to apprise her of the situation and sought her help.
“The Chief Minister was surprised that the Bangladesh Prime Minister took the call herself. When Deb informed her about the incident she wanted to know the details and locations of the areas where the three captives were believed to have been taken. When the Chief Minister gave her ideas about the location, the Bangladesh Premier said she would take up the matter immediately, and if so required army operation would be launched to rescue the hostages”, said sources.
“Do not worry Biplab. You are like my son and I shall see into the matter”, she is reported to have assured the Chief Minister.
Soon after his telephone call to Bangladesh Prime Minister, Deb also informed central ministers like Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about his discussions with Hasina. They also assured all help and said that if required they would also take up the matter with Dhaka.
In the meantime, former Indian Army General and Union Minister Gen ( Retd) V K Singh – in all likelihood at the instance of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh -also spoke to the Chief Minister. Gen Singh had in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War served from Belonia. After their talks, Gen Singh also directly took up the matter with Bangladesh army Chief Gen Aziz Ahmed.
Soon Bangladesh military began a massive special operation to hunt down the NLFT militants and to rescue the three hostages.
But then there was a serious problem.
The hostages were taken to a deep hilly region which was virtually impossible to penetrate from the Bangladesh side. The Bangladesh Special Forces kept on pushing, and in the meanwhile, the NLFT militants also started moving farther deeper into the forest. The approach to their areas was more or less easier from Indian side instead of Bangladesh side.
It was then, BSF were put on special alert from Indian side. They were asked to remain ready to face the NLFT militants and if so required to take extreme step.
“But there was one more problem. The threat on the life of the hostages became palpable. Faced by the Bangladesh army operation and waiting BSF, the militants sandwiched in between might very well get dangerously nervous and edgy and at any moment they could shoot the captives and flee”, sources pointed out.
“Then two plans were put in place. The militants had demanded Rs 2 crore ransoms for their release. The first plan was to keep on negotiating and bargaining on the amount so that a carrot keeps on hanging before the militants and their hope for fast buck does not end. Second plan was to put pressure on the family member of the NLFT leaders—to be precise, on Utpal Debbarma a ka Umthang and Bikramjit Jamatia who were the master minds of the abductions”, sources said. The nature of the pressure, the sources, however, declined to clearly state. Though it was not confirmed, but some sources indicated that Utpal and Bikramjit’s wives were also taken into custody of some people working independently.
Ultimately, last week the NLFT indicated that they would release the three captives. Nevertheless, in the meantime according to sources some money was also paid to the NLFT to ensure that militants do not kill them in utter desperation.
“Now, after the captives have returned its time to go whole hog to finish the militants. State Government does have all the information about their movements and shelters inside Tripura. Bangladesh government is also now alerted and they are fully ready to cooperate with us. It is now impossible for the militants to set up base in Bangladesh any more. The elements in DGFI – Bangladesh army intelligence – who once used to help the Indian militants holed up in their country- are no more there”, maintained sources.
