BSF foils bid by Bangladeshis to smuggle cattle across Bengal border

Kolkata: Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on Sunday foiled a bid by some Bangladeshis to smuggle cattle across the international border in West Bengal, a statement said.

Jawans of the 146th battalion at Madhubana border outpost in Berhampore sector noticed suspicious movement of 5-6 persons who were trying to cross the unfenced stretch of the international border into India along with two bovine animals early on Sunday.

Upon being challenged, they threatened the jawans by brandishing sharp weapons.

When one of the jawans fired a stun grenade at them, they surrounded him and attacked him with sharp weapons. In self-defence, the jawan fired two rounds, following which the miscreants fled towards Bangladesh, taking advantage of the dark and tall crops in the fields, the statement said.

The jawans later seized two medium-sized bulls and two sharp weapons from the spot.

The possibility of any of the miscreants getting injured in the firing cannot be ruled out, it said.

A similar incident occurred a day back when jawans of the 70th battalion at Lodhia border outpost in Malda spotted the movement of 14-15 Bangladeshis carrying spears and swords.

As the smugglers crossed the border and entered India, the jawans fired a stun grenade to disperse them.

However, the intruders attacked the jawans with sharp weapons, following which the BSF personnel fired two rounds in self-defence, the statement said.

The smugglers then retreated to the Bangladesh side under the cover of darkness.

Following this incident, a meeting was held with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), where a protest was lodged against the unprovoked attack by Bangladeshi smugglers.

The two incidents were preceded by similar recent attacks at Madhubana.

"We have flagged the issue with BGB," a BSF spokesperson said.