The women troopers of Border Security Force are a tougher lot. While protecting the International border here in Tripura like their male counterparts, these Mahila Praharis defy all sorts of difficulties, meet all the challenges that they face head on and brave all uncomfortable conditions right from torrential rains, searing heat wave to attacks of the swarming and stinging mosquitos. But while posted in a border, what the guards needs most is ‘alertness’, especially when it is a highly sensitive border with a highly volatile country on the other side and with history of a large section of peoples from both the sides being involved in smuggling and drugs peddling
Only recently two alert Mahila Praharis foiled a smuggling attempt by about 30 Bangladeshi smugglers in Tripura, a press statement issued by the BSF Tripura Frontier on Friday said.
The statement said that two Mahila Praharis deployed in ambush on Thursday midnight noticed some suspicious movement ahead of the border fence in West Tripura’s Kamlasagar bordering areas. They at once alerted the troops in the adjoining areas and intensified the surveillance of the area.
After some time the Mahila Praharis observed 30-40 people approaching the border fencing carrying bamboo sticks and sharp-edged weapons.
Both the Mahila Praharis challenged the smugglers, who also adopted an aggressive posture. They tried to encircle the Praharis while pelting stones at them.
The spokesman said that the Mahila Praharis held their ground and retaliated by firing one round from their pump action gun, forcing the smugglers to retreat leaving behind the contraband they were carrying.
A huge quantity of sugar and 16 kg of ganja was recovered from the spot.
In the meantime, reinforcements arrived on the scene.
BSF Tripura Frontier Inspector General Patel Piyush Purushottam Das said that the Mahila Praharis were in no way less than their male counterparts when it comes to operational achievements on the border.
