New Delhi: Tripura police have arrested eight people from a border village in connection with an “unprovoked” attack against Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. The BSF in its complaint alleged that the attack was revenge for attempting to apprehend individuals involved in cross-border drug trade.
The incident took place Monday when a BSF column was moving through Boxanagar, a village in Sipahijala district, about 200 metres from the border with Bangladesh.
Based on a complaint from the BSF, an FIR was registered the same day at Kalamchowra police station, followed by the arrests.
Confirming that the police have arrested eight people so far and other accused will also be arrested soon, Inspector General of Police (Law & Order) Manchak Ipper told ThePrint, “We registered an FIR against 19 people based on the complaint from the BSF personnel.”
Tripura police sources said scores of villagers from Boxanagar were found to be involved in cross-border smuggling of ganja (female flowering of cannabis plants).
“The BSF has been a thorn for them (smugglers) for the longest time since they are deployed on the border and act as a first line of defence,” a senior police officer told ThePrint, adding, “They (smugglers) held grudges against the BSF. When some troops of the force were moving through the village, they were targeted in an unprovoked attack.”
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‘BSF constable’s personal weapon snatched’
In the FIR, a copy of which ThePrint has seen, the BSF said that a constable on CCTV duty at the Ashbari Border outpost observed the movement of around eight smugglers—on both sides of the border Monday morning. This was relayed to personnel on the ground.
However, by that time the smugglers had already thrown two bags towards the Bangladesh side of the fence. When personnel on the ground saw this and attempted to apprehend them, the smugglers started pelting stones at them, says the FIR. It adds that reinforcements were called, and a scuffle broke out before the smugglers fled the scene.
The BSF complaint adds that the smugglers then hatched a conspiracy to avenge the BSF action. According to it, civilians were asked to gather at the Ashabari-Boxnagar Road (New market area) under the alleged conspiracy. Alerted to the situation, the BSF Company Commander rushed to the scene with two more personnel but they were allegedly attacked even before they could deboard the vehicle, says the complaint.
“While de-boarding the vehicle, criminals who had unexpectedly gathered there started attacking and assaulting all three of them from different directions with iron rods, bamboo sticks, stones, and iron dah. CT Manjeet was assaulted and attacked by iron rods and bamboo sticks,” says the FIR, documenting the sequence of events.
The FIR names Rabiul Hossain as a prime accused, stating that he and other named accused snatched BSF constable Manjeet’s personal weapon and struck his head with the intent to murder.
“After snatching the weapon, the accused named in the FIR screamed [I will kill you, won’t leave you alive]. Others surrounding shouted ‘kill..kill..kill…’ He (Manjeet) was bleeding with grievous injury. He sustained injuries to his stomach and both hands,” the FIR adds.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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