Hundreds of people, both tribals and non-tribals, of Tripura today protested at Nutan Bazaar, South Tripura and submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha seeking expulsion of the members of the Bangladeshi armed group, Parbottya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) led by Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma alias Santu Larma from India. The PCJSS (Santu) was accused of spoiling the lives of the youths in the North East through drug trafficking, using India as its shelter after committing murders in Bangladesh, and also carrying out anti-India activities from Bangladesh through formation of the Tripura United National Front (TUNF) and sheltering it in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) of Bangladesh. This is the first ever protest against any armed group from a neighbouring country.
The protestors alleged that PCJSS signed the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord in 1997 with the Government of Bangladesh and thereafter, the Bangladesh Army kept Santu Larma as the Chairman of the CHTs Regional Council since 1998 along with his private army. His private army supported by current Islamist regime of Dr Mohammad Yunus is feared in Bangladesh for carrying out kidnapping, extortion, and executions of many tribal leaders including Rupak Chakma, Mithun Chakma, Sudirgha Chakma, Chandra Shekhor Chakma, Animesh Chakma, Bipul Chakma, Sunil Tripura etc.
In India, the JSS (Santu) group members are involved in trafficking of arms, drugs/ Yaba, Burmese cigarettes and cows and destroying the youths of Tripura and Mizoram. Giving details of the recovery made from the PCJSS (Santu) cadres, the memorandum stated on 30 December 2024, Tripura Police seized 2,720 Burmese cigarette packets worth Rs nine lakhs from Raishyabari under Dhalai district; on 19 June 2025, the Assam Rifles seized drug worth Rs 10 crore from Lunglei Mizoram; on 12 February 2025, Mizoram Police confiscated two AK-47 assault rifles, five US-made M4 carbines, 20 Magazines, and 4,675 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition; and on 4 June 2025, Tripura Police arrested 13 cadres and deported them to Bangladesh.
The protestors alleged that PCJSS (Santu) has become a transnational trafficking gang and the kingpin of PCJSS leaders operating from Tripura and Mizoram are Field Commander Pranati Bikash Chakma, Deputy Field Commander Ayushman Chakma Bulbul, Political Secretary Satyabir Dewan, Organising Secretary Shaktipada Tripura, Press, and Publicity Secretary Mangal Kumar Chakma, Bhavadutta Chakma, Abakash Larma, Usha Bindu Khisa, Ashapurna Chakma, Samaj Priya Chakma etc.
The protestors also alleged that for remaining in power under Dr Mohammed Yunus, Santu Larma under the instruction of the DGFI and Pakistan’s ISI established new insurgent outfit, Tripura United National Front and PCJSS leaders in India recruited TUNF cadres mainly from the Reang community. The Reangs were targeted because they live both in Mizoram and Tripura and Pakistan’s ISI can make inroads through Tripura and Mizoram to destabilize North East India.
With the money earned from kidnapping, torture, executions, extortion and smuggling, the JSS cadres often intimidate local tribals in Tripura. The protestors demanded to arrest the PCJSS (Santu Group) leaders in India, deport them to Bangladesh and ban the PCJSS (Santu Group) in India.
