A group of about 30 insurgents of banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (Biswamohan group) kidnapped 37 persons, mostly small traders from Kampui-Bhandarima road in North Tripura district from two vehicles in the early hours of Monday, the police said.

However, later, they released 13 persons, mostly tribals, the police said.

The small traders were going to a market at Kampui, a hill top tribal hamlet bordering Mizoram to sell goods and agricultural and horticultural products.

SP (North) Arbinder Singh and District Magistrate Debotosh Dutta rushed to the spot with heavy contingent of police and paramilitary forces to launch combing operation to rescue the kidnapped persons.

Today's incident of kidnapping of 37 persons is the second biggest incident in Tripura. Earlier 48 persons were kidnapped by militants in 1998 from Longterai valley in Dhalai district.

In a separate incident, five small traders were kidnapped by the insurgents of outlawed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) from Kachubari market near the Indo-Bangla border in Khowai sub-division of West Tripura district yesterday.

The police said armed insurgents crossed the border and kidnapped five small traders.

The ultras managed to sneak into the Bangladesh territory with the kidnapped persons before the Border Security Force personnel reached the scene, the police said.