Tamil National Retrieval Troops

Tamil National Retrieval Troops (TNRT) was a short lived Tamil nationalist militant group who had fought to gain independence from India in the 1980s.[1] The group wanted to unite a greater Tamil Nadu nation for their people.[1] Tamil National Retrieval Troops fought the majority of their conflicts in the 1990s.[1] This organization was considered to be part of a larger nationalist Tamil Nadu movement. However, the Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops were never that large; their membership often hovered around 30.[1] The young men fighting in the Tamil National Retrieval Troops were mostly from the Vanniyar community.[1] The Tamil National Retrieval Troops are also known as Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops* - this is not another branch but rather another name used by the group.[2]

History

The group was also interested in creating their own area in Tamil Nadu.[1] The group was founded by P. Ravichandran in the late 1980s.[1] After the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, support for Tamil liberation groups decreased steadily. This remained true for years before new Tamil pro-liberation movements, emerged. This was quickly shut down by the then Chief Minister Jayalalitha. This eventually led to the banning of the TNRT.[2] In the 1990s its leader Ravichandran was an accused of the murder of Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) general secretary and the 1991 Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.[3]

Major events

On July 2, 2002, The Tamil National Retrieval Troops (TNRT) are included in the Prevention of Terrorist Act (POTA), 2002. The group is officially considered a terrorist organization by the Indian government.[1][4]

The Tamil National Retrieval Troops aided Veerappan in the kidnapping of Rajkumar. The TNRT, along with the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army and Veerappan requested that numerous political demands must be met in order for the hostage to be released.[5] The group held Rajkumar for 108 days before finally letting him go unharmed.[1]

Linkage

Veerappan- Was a coconspirator in the kidnapping of Rajkumar.[5]

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - a group supported by the Tamil National Retrieval troop that was based in Sri Lanka. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam established the National retrieval troop as a small militant group.[1] According to Ravichandran, members of the Tamil National Retrieval Troops were instructed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to annihilate anyone who opposes their objective for a separate nation for the Tamils.[6] The Tamil Tigers provided training and supplies for the Tamil National retrieval movement in Sri Lanka before sending them into India.

Tamil National Liberation Army- Some members possibly belonged to this group as well due to the fact that factions were constantly broken up and disbanded so the soldiers of various Tamil Nadu groups moved from group to group varying based on their beliefs and preferred location. Both groups believe that Tamil Nadu should be free and sovereign, and the land should be set aside for those who reside there.[6]

[7] Global terrorism database for the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization

References
  1. "Tamil National Retrieval Troops (TNRT)". www.satp.org. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  2. Aug 13, PTI | Updated; 2002; Ist, 21:25. "TN bans pro-LTTE Tamil National Movement | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 May 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. "Tamil National Retrieval Troops (TNRT)". www.trackingterrorism.org.
  4. "MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS". 12 August 2007. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  5. August 21, VAASANTHI; August 21, 2000 ISSUE DATE; December 12, 2000UPDATED; Ist, 2012 17:56. "Fringe ultra groups in north Tamil Nadu tutor Veerappan". India Today. Retrieved 7 May 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. Directorate of Printing, Government of India (16 December 1998). Extraordinary Gazette of India, 1998, No. 1595.
  7. "GTD Search Results". www.start.umd.edu. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
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