An Indian villager was killed and another injured after the BSF fired to disperse a "mob of attackers" along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura's Sepahijala district, officials said on Thursday.
A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said that around 30 to 40 Indian smugglers, violating the curfew imposed on the border, tried to smuggle contraband items to Bangladesh at Durgapur village late on Wednesday night and its troopers challenged them.
However, the mob surrounded the BSF personnel, tried to snatch their weapons, and attacked them with sharp-edged weapons, leaving three BSF men seriously injured. They also vandalised the BSF duty point and damaged surveillance equipment.
The spokesman said that sensing imminent danger to life and threat to government property, BSF troopers fired in self-defence and to disperse the violent mob. Two of the assailants were hit and one of them subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
The injured person was shifted to the hospital.
Sepahijala's Superintendent of Police Bogati Jagadeeswar Reddy said that the villagers alleged that during the border patrolling, a scuffle between the local people and the BSF took place and the troopers fired on the villagers without any provocation.
"An impartial probe of the incident would be conducted. A forensic team visited the site and collected evidence," he told the media after visiting the border area.
An FIR was lodged with Sonamura police station in this regard. Tension ran high in the border village on Thursday and senior BSF and police officials with additional reinforcement are camping in the area.
On March 17, a Bangladeshi smuggler was killed in a clash with the BSF at Magroli in Tripura's Unakoti district. Two BSF personnel were also injured in that clash as smugglers mounted an attack on them.
Tripura shares an 856-km-long border with Bangladesh, which surrounds the state on three sides. Some patches of the frontier are still unfenced due to local disputes and demarcation-related issues.
Tripura CM Saha holds key meeting with BJP, IPFT and TMP leaders
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday held an "important" meeting between the leaders of ruling BJP and its two allies – Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and discussed various political and developmental issue, sources said.
HM Amit Shah's meeting sends a clear message: Not a drop of water to Pakistan
A high-level meeting was held on Friday at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The 45-minute meeting between the Home Minister and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil focused on exploring ways to halt the flow of water to Pakistan.
Tripura: TMP chief urges Centre to adopt 'stronger policy' against B'desh
Ruling BJP’s ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP) founder-chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma on Friday urged the Central government to adopt a stronger policy stance towards Bangladesh, accusing the neighbouring country of encouraging fundamentalist forces targeting Hindu minorities.
Pahalgam attack: More countries express solidarity with India, offer support in fight against terrorism
Ambassadors of Israel, Egypt, Argentina, and Nepal met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Friday, expressing solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism following the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam.
Tripura CM directs SPs and DMs to remain vigilant about Pakistani nationals
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday directed the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all eight districts to regularly share necessary inputs with the Chief Minister’s Secretariat regarding the presence of any Pakistani nationals in the state, officials said.
US supports India's 'hunt' for those behind 'horrific Islamist terrorist attack' in Pahalgam, says Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (DNI), on Friday said that the United States supports India's "hunt" for the perpetrators of the "horrific Islamist terrorist attack" in Pahalgam that took place earlier this week.
Tehran stands ready to 'forge greater understanding' between India and Pakistan: Iran FM Araghchi
Citing its good relations with both India and Pakistan, Iran on Friday said that it stands ready to "forge greater understanding" between New Delhi and Islamabad following the Pahalgam terror attack, earlier this week.
PM Modi's action will act as deterrent against any fresh attempts to harm India: Tripura CM
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday denounced the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting his staunch belief that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisive action will act as a strong deterrent against any future attempts by terrorists to harm India.