Agartala: Nine people, including three women, have so far been arrested in connection with the reported attack on Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at Ashabari along the India-Bangladesh international border in Tripura’s Sepahijala district, police officials said on Tuesday.
A senior police official said three BSF personnel, including a Company Commander, were injured after a mob comprising men and women allegedly attacked them with sticks near the international border at Ashabari, under Kalamchaura police station, on Monday.
According to the official, BSF personnel noticed some Indian and Bangladeshi smugglers allegedly engaged in illegal cross-border trade along the international border. The jawans immediately rushed to the spot and apprehended an Indian smuggler. However, the Bangladeshi smugglers, who were on the other side of the border fence, fled. The Indian smuggler also managed to escape and allegedly informed villagers that he had been assaulted by BSF personnel, the official said.
Following this, a large number of men and women gathered at the spot, surrounded the BSF vehicle and launched an attack on the personnel, leaving three of them, including the Company Commander, injured.
The injured BSF personnel were subsequently taken to a government hospital for treatment.
The attackers also allegedly attempted to snatch the rifle of one of the BSF jawans and damaged a BSF vehicle.
One of the attackers was also injured during the incident. Senior BSF and police officials rushed to the spot and managed to bring the situation under control. However, tension continued to prevail in the area following the incident.
The mob also allegedly attempted to block the road by felling trees to prevent the movement of security forces and civilian vehicles. The police official said that nine people allegedly involved in the attack had been arrested so far, while an intensive search operation, launched on Monday night, was underway to apprehend the remaining accused.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, strongly condemned the attack on the BSF personnel and said that those involved would be brought to justice.
Taking to his official X account, CM Saha said, “In connection with the assault on BSF personnel at Ashabari, Boxanagar, eight accused persons have been arrested. All those involved will be brought to justice, and strict legal action will be taken against them in accordance with the law. Violence against our security personnel will not be tolerated.”
In another post, the Chief Minister strongly condemned the incident, describing the assault on the BSF personnel as unacceptable. “I strongly condemn the brutal assault on our brave BSF personnel at Ashabari by a group of miscreants. Such acts of violence against our security forces are completely unacceptable and deserve unequivocal condemnation. Any attack on our security personnel is a matter of grave concern and must be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law,” he said.
CM Saha further stated that the concerned authorities had been directed to take swift and stringent action against those responsible and ensure that justice was delivered. “Our security personnel deserve the utmost respect and protection,” the Chief Minister added.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior Left leader Jitendra Chaudhury also strongly condemned the attack on the BSF personnel. However, Chaudhury accused the state government of failing to take appropriate action against those involved in cross-border smuggling.
“A section of ruling party workers is involved in the illegal cross-border trade. The authority remained a silent spectator,” Chaudhury, a former minister, told the media.
He alleged that the involvement of certain ruling party workers in illegal cross-border activities had contributed to the persistence of the problem and criticised the authorities for not taking adequate steps to curb smuggling activities.
A few years ago, smugglers were allegedly involved in separate incidents in which Deepak Kumar Mandal, Deputy Commandant of the BSF’s 145th Battalion, and Tripura Police Sub-Inspector Durga Kumar Hrangkhawl were killed when they attempted to prevent cross-border smuggling in the same Sepahijala district.
Tripura shares an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh, and is surrounded by the neighbouring country on three sides, making the northeastern state particularly vulnerable and sensitive to issues relating to cross-border migration and transnational crimes. Except for a few stretches, most parts of the international frontier have been fenced to prevent smuggling, trans-border crimes, illegal cross-border movements by infiltrators and the entry of inimical elements.
(IANS)
