1 killed in Bengal, 7 nabbed near Meghalaya in BSF raid
“A BSF jawan patrolling the area observed at least five people moving goods on their heads from the Indian side towards Bangladesh.
NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force on Monday said it neutralised a Bangladesh smuggler in a retaliatory fire in West Bengal’s Malda district and has apprehended seven nationals of the neighbouring country trying to infiltrate, along with two Indian facilitators, at a checkpoint in Meghalaya.
BSF officials said the first incident in Malda district occurred during the night of August 11-12 when a group of smugglers launched an attack on the force’s personnel stationed at the Chandnichak. The border outpost is operated by the 115th Battalion under the South Bengal Frontier, they added. The smugglers, who were allegedly armed with sharp weapons, engaged the BSF troops, prompting retaliatory firing in self-defense, they said.
“In the ensuing exchange, one smuggler was neutralised. The situation underscores the ongoing tensions and dangers faced by security forces tasked with maintaining border integrity amid persistent threats of smuggling and cross-border incursions,” a senior BSF officer said.
“A BSF jawan patrolling the area observed at least five people moving goods on their heads from the Indian side towards Bangladesh. The jawan quickly moved in to intercept them and asked the smugglers to stop,” said an officer. “Ignoring the challenge, another group of smugglers hiding behind the bushes attacked the jawan with sharp weapons. The jawans fired two rounds in self-defence,” the officer said.
After the firing, the miscreants used darkness and wild bushes for cover and fled back towards the Indian border. One Bangladeshi smuggler was found injured and was taken to a government hospital, where he later died, the officer said. The deceased was identified as Abdullah, a resident of Rishipara village in the Chapai Nawabganj district of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, in a well-coordinated operation, BSF troops apprehended seven Bangladeshi nationals along with two Indian facilitators at a checkpoint on August 10 midnight, the officials said.
All the illegal Bangladeshi migrants with Indian facilitators were handed over to the Meghalaya police for further legal action, they said.
Comments are closed.