Belonia, July 25: Two Bangladeshi smugglers were killed and one was injured when Border Security Force (BSF) personnel opened fire late Thursday night at Amzadnagar along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura’s Belonia subdivision. The incident has triggered tension along the border stretch shared with Bangladesh’s Feni district.
According to sources in the BSF Tripura Frontier, the action was taken to thwart a major smuggling attempt. A senior BSF official said around 10 to 15 Bangladeshi nationals crossed the international border using wooden planks to scale the barbed wire fencing. Despite adverse weather, BSF troopers were on alert.
The smugglers were reportedly trying to smuggle a large consignment of Viagra tablets into Bangladesh. Some Indian smugglers were allegedly aiding the operation.
Upon being challenged, the smugglers began pelting stones and advanced toward the BSF trooper, prompting him to open fire in self-defence. One person died on the spot, while two others sustained bullet injuries. The group managed to carry the injured back across the border.
One of the injured, Md Millat Hussain, succumbed to his wounds while being shifted to a hospital in Chittagong, as per Bangladeshi media. The deceased identified at the scene was Md Litan Miah, a resident of Bashpaduya area under Parshuram municipality in Feni district. The lone survivor, Md Afsar Miah, is undergoing treatment in Bangladesh.
The BSF seized two bundles of Viagra tablets from the spot, estimated to be worth Rs 15 lakh.
The incident highlights the persistent threat of cross-border smuggling in Tripura and the challenges faced by security forces in safeguarding the border. Security has been heightened in the area following the incident.
