Tribal attack claims two lives

Underground tribal guerillas shot dead two non-tribal women and injured three in west Tripura on Thursday, while a red alert had been sounded to thwart any move during the general strike called by six extremist outfits in parts of the North-East on Friday.

Official sources said heavily armed tribal militants raided the house of one Rakhal Sarkar, at Brahmachara under Teliamura police station, and shot dead his aged mother and wife. Sarkar, his son and nephew were also seriously injured when the ultras pumped bullets indiscriminately. Before fleeing, the militants burnt the houses of one Ajit Debbarma, the sources said, adding that the three injured have been admitted to the G B hospital in Agartala, where their condition was stated to be critical.

The army and central para-military forces, led by senior police officials, rushed to the spot and have launched a massive combing operation to nab the militants. Following the attack, tension prevailed in the areas not dominated by tribals.

The Tripura government has also sounded a red alert and asked the central and state security forces to keep maximum vigil during the general strike called by extremist outfits in several parts of the North-East, including Tripura.