BSF thwarts suspected border breach in Tripura; man shot, accomplice escapes
The injured man, married to a B'desh national, had entered Bangladesh without documentation to visit his in-laws & was returning when the incident occurred
Tripura man (extreme left, lying), thought to be a Bangladesh national, shot at by the BSF on Tuesday evening (AT Photo)
Agartala, Feb 5: A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper stationed at the Putia Border Outpost (BOP) in Tripura’s Sepahijala district opened fire on Tuesday evening to thwart a suspected illegal border crossing from Bangladesh.
One person, identified as Akhtar Jamal Roni, a resident of Putia village in Boxanagar under the district, sustained a minor bullet injury, while his accomplice managed to escape.
According to a BSF statement, the incident occurred around 6:10 pm when two individuals—a man and a woman—were seen approaching the border fence from the Bangladesh side.
Despite repeated warnings, they allegedly attempted to breach the fence. In the scuffle that followed, Roni reportedly tried to snatch the sentry’s pump-action gun (PAG), prompting the trooper to fire a single round in self-defence.
Roni later admitted to crossing into Indian territory without legal documentation. Meanwhile, the female suspect fled to a nearby village. BSF personnel provided immediate medical assistance to the injured man and launched an investigation.
Roni was later referred to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala for advanced medical care. A doctor attending to him confirmed that he had suffered a deep-penetrating injury on his neck. “The bullet appears to have grazed the right side of his face and neck, causing a deep cut,” the doctor said.
Local sources revealed that Roni is married to a Bangladesh national. According to the BSF, the injured persons entered Bangladesh to visit his in-laws’ house without any documentation.
The scuffle with the BSF occurred when he was returning to his native village from Bangladesh.
The international border in Tripura has been a hotspot for infiltration attempts, particularly since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime in Bangladesh.
On Monday, a senior BSF official disclosed that since January 26, security forces had apprehended 14 Bangladesh nationals for illegally entering India. Two Indian touts suspected of facilitating these crossings were also arrested.
Additionally, the BSF has seized narcotics, sugar, cattle, and other smuggled goods worth approximately ₹2.5 crore. To address security concerns, BSF battalions have organised over 40 village coordination meetings in various border areas.
Authorities continue to maintain strict vigilance along the border to curb illegal infiltration and smuggling activities.