Agartala, Nov 3 : Ten people, including three women, arrested in connection with an alleged mob attack on Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near the India-Bangladesh international border in Tripura's Sepahijala district, were produced before a court on Tuesday, officials said.
The court remanded the seven male accused to four days of police custody, while the three women were sent to judicial custody for 10 days, a police official said.
The accused were produced before the Special NDPS Court in Sepahijala district for further legal proceedings. The male accused were remanded to police custody for interrogation, while the women were sent to jail custody, the official said.
Three BSF personnel, including a Company Commander, were seriously injured after a mob allegedly attacked them with sticks near 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 and rushed to the spot. They apprehended an Indian suspect, while the Bangladeshi smugglers fled from the other side of the border fence.
The Indian suspect also managed to escape and allegedly told villagers that BSF personnel had assaulted him, prompting around 50 men and women to gather at the spot.
The mob allegedly surrounded the BSF vehicle and attacked the personnel, leaving three of them injured. The attackers also allegedly snatched a pump-action gun (PAG) rifle from a BSF jawan and damaged a vehicle. One of the attackers was also injured.
The injured personnel were taken to a government hospital for treatment. Senior BSF and police officials rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
The mob also allegedly felled trees to block roads and obstruct the movement of security forces and civilian vehicles. Tension continued in the area following the incident.
Police have arrested 10 people so far, while a search operation is underway to apprehend the remaining accused.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the BSF said it remained committed to protecting the international border and preventing smuggling. It said its personnel exercised restraint despite being attacked and refrained from using lethal force.
The force also appealed to local residents to cooperate in maintaining peace and security in border areas, warning that attempts to obstruct personnel performing their lawful duties would be dealt with firmly.
