Its president Debbarma says the Centre has invited the leaders for talks on the separate State issue

Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) on Thursday withdrew the highway and railway blockade agitation it launched on July 10 to demand a separate tribal State.

The announcement came at 9 a.m. — the deadline set by west Tripura district administration to comply with prohibitory orders under Section 144.

IPFT president Narendra Chandra Debbarma, however, claimed that they were ending the agitation as Union Home Ministry had agreed to hold talks on the ‘Tipraland’ issue.

Government authorities suspended Internet and cellular messaging services before dawn, as the district administration and the security forces prepared to disperse hundreds of protesters at Khamtingbari, the epicentre of the 11-day old blockade.

From 5 a.m., an Executive Magistrate began announcing through the public address system that Section 144 had been imposed and set a 9 a.m. deadline to vacate the place.

Meanwhile, senior IPFT leaders, including its president Narendra Chandra Debbarma, reached the spot and addressed the gathering. To pacify the restive crowd, Mr. Debbarma announced that ‘Twipraland’ was soon going to be a reality. He said the MHA had sent them an invitation to attend talks in New Delhi on the separate State demand. The crowd immediately erupted in jubilation and raised slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Debbarma.