The Centre signed a memorandum of settlement with a faction of the Tripura-based rebel outfit National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) on Friday, after it agreed to lay down arms and join the mainstream.

A release from the ministry of home affairs on Saturday said the memorandum of settlement was signed in New Delhi by the Centre, the Tripura government and the NLFT faction led by Sabir Kumar Debbarma (NLFT-SD).

“NLFT (SD) has agreed to abjure the path of violence, join the mainstream and abide by the Constitution. It has agreed to the surrender of its 88 cadres with their weapons. The surrendered cadres will be given surrender benefits as per the surrender-cum-rehabilitation scheme, 2018, of the ministry of home affairs,” the release said.

NLFT has been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since 1997 and has been operating from its camps across the international border in Bangladesh.

The NLFT has been responsible for 317 incidents, in which 28 security forces and 62 civilians lost their lives from 2005 to 2015. The peace talks with the NLFT were initiated in 2015 and there has been no violence by the outfit since 2016.

The state government will help the surrendered cadres in housing, recruitment and education, among others. The Centre will consider the proposals of the state government regarding economic development of tribal areas.

“The memorandum of settlement was signed by Satyendra Garg, joint secretary (North East) of the ministry of home affairs, Kumar Alok, additional chief secretary (home), government of Tripura, and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma of NLFT (SD). Later on, the NLFT representatives called on Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi after signing the memorandum of settlement,” the release said.