Tension gripped Magruli village in Kailashahar, Unakoti district, as a confrontation between Bangladeshi smugglers and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel turned violent, resulting in the death of a smuggler and severe injuries to a BSF jawan. The incident unfolded on Sunday, prompting authorities to take swift action to restore order in the area.
The deceased smuggler was identified as Saddam Hussein, aged 23, son of Waris Ali and a resident of Dastaki village in Kulaura, Moulovibazar, Bangladesh. His body was transported to the Unakoti district hospital for post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, the injured BSF jawan, identified as constable Mohan Lal Das, sustained critical head injuries during the altercation and received urgent medical attention at the hospital.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Jayanta Karmakar, speaking to the media at Irani police station, confirmed the death of the smuggler. Additionally, he disclosed that authorities had detained a member of the smugglers’ gang in connection with the incident.
According to reports, the confrontation erupted when a group of approximately 20-25 individuals engaged in smuggling activities, including sugar, near gate no-47 of the India-Bangladesh international boundary in Magruli village around 1 pm. Despite attempts by BSF personnel from the 199-Bn stationed at Magruli BOP to intervene and prevent the smuggling, the perpetrators disregarded their warnings.
When the BSF attempted to detain one of the smugglers, a violent clash ensued, resulting in constable Mohan Lal Das sustaining severe injuries. The injured BSF jawan, hailing from Rajasthan, was promptly transferred to RGM hospital in Kailashahar for urgent medical treatment. As tensions remained high in the area following the incident, authorities deployed additional BSF personnel to maintain law and order.
The incident underscores the challenges faced by security forces in combating cross-border smuggling activities and highlights the need for continued vigilance along the international border to prevent such incidents from escalating further.
