Two Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) personnel were detained after allegedly entering Indian territory near the Rahimpur-Ashabari border in Tripura. Following a flag meeting between the BSF and BGB, both personnel were handed over to Bangladeshi authorities on Friday.
Two personnel of Bangladesh’s Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were detained after allegedly crossing into Indian territory near the Rahimpur-Ashabari border area in Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Thursday night. They were subsequently handed over to Bangladeshi authorities following a flag meeting between the border forces on Friday, according to local sources.
The two personnel were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Imran Hossain and constable Rohit Dewan. According to local accounts, villagers initially detained the two men after spotting them on the Indian side of the international border. Personnel from the Border Security Force’s (BSF) 49th Battalion later took them into custody.
The incident reportedly occurred at around 10.30 pm on Thursday in the Ashabari-Rahimpur border sector, near border pillars 2059 and gates 167 and 168. According to local sources, the two BGB personnel were allegedly conducting night patrols when they entered Indian territory and attempted to detain a local businessman near the zero line.
Villagers reportedly intervened after noticing the incident, preventing the alleged detention and creating a tense situation in the border area. There were also allegations that the two Bangladeshi personnel were assaulted by local residents before BSF personnel arrived and took control of the situation.
Following their detention, the two personnel were taken to the BSF’s Ashabari border outpost. They reportedly underwent medical examinations during the night and remained in BSF custody until arrangements were made for their return to Bangladesh.
A flag meeting between the Indian and Bangladeshi border forces was held at approximately 1 pm on Friday near gate number 163 and border pillar 2057 in the Rahimpur sector. The meeting took place at the zero line and was conducted by the BSF’s 49th Battalion, with representatives of both border forces and officials from the police and intelligence departments present.
The Indian delegation reportedly included the battalion’s second-in-command, a deputy commandant and Inspector Arun Kumar. Following discussions between the two sides, the detained BGB personnel were handed over to senior officials of the Bangladeshi border force.
The incident has drawn attention to border management and security in the Rahimpur-Ashabari area, where residents have raised concerns about alleged unauthorised crossings and interactions between border personnel and local people.
Some villagers alleged that the two personnel had crossed into Indian territory on previous occasions and attempted to detain people living in the border area. They further claimed that the personnel had demanded between Rs. 4 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh from villagers and threatened to implicate them in cases involving contraband smuggling.
Separate allegations also emerged that the two men were carrying yaba tablets and had entered India for an illicit purpose. However, these claims could not be independently verified, and no official confirmation was available regarding the alleged possession of narcotics or the purported demands for money.
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As of the latest information available from local sources, there had been no immediate official statement from the BSF or Bangladeshi authorities clarifying the circumstances of the alleged crossing or responding to the accusations made by villagers.
The handover following the flag meeting brought the immediate detention to an end. Further official clarification would be required to establish the circumstances of the incident and determine the veracity of the allegations surrounding the alleged border crossing.
