Nagendra Jamatia, the veteran tribal leader who brokered peace with insurgent outfit Tripura National Volunteers in 1988, passed away on Monday.
He was 71.
The politician, who was admired for his writing skills and social engagements, was a Minister in the Congress-led coalition government for five years from 1988.
His family said he died due to health complications.
The leader of the Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti, which is now known as the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, is best known for his success in bringing TNV supremo Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl to negotiate peace with the Centre. His efforts culminated in a peace accord that was signed in the presence of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in New Delhi.
Mr. Jamatia later admitted that the entire exercise of dialogue with TNV had to be kept a top secret under instructions from New Delhi and became public only after signing of the accord. Besides him, then Chief Minister Sudhir Ranjan Majumder was in the loop.
Mr. Hrangkhawl, who is now president of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra, and his entire team of office-bearers reached the residence of the deceased to offer condolences on Monday.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, his Cabinet colleagues and prominent personalities have expressed grief at the demise of Mr. Jamatia.
He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
