Tripura: 3 BSF jawans attacked by smugglers near India-Bangladesh border

Agartala: Three Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were brutally assaulted by a group of alleged smugglers in the Ashabari area under Boxanagar in Tripura on Monday, triggering widespread tension across the locality.

The attackers reportedly attempted to snatch service firearms from the injured security personnel and vandalised a government vehicle during the confrontation.

According to sources, the incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. near Gate Nos. 174 and 175 along the barbed-wire international border fence under the jurisdiction of the Ashabari Border Outpost (BOP). Alleged smugglers were reportedly attempting to transport contraband through the sector when personnel from the 49th Battalion, deployed on patrol duty, gave chase.

The suspects scattered in multiple directions during the pursuit. However, BSF personnel managed to detain one alleged smuggler, identified as Hefzur Rahman, approximately 400 metres from the location.

Meanwhile, three BSF personnel hailing from the Rahimpur Kantamura BOP were travelling toward Boxanagar in a government vehicle. As they arrived near the blockade site, a group of alleged smugglers launched a sudden and violent assault on them.

According to eyewitness accounts and video recordings, the attackers brutally beat the jawans, inflicting severe head injuries. The security personnel were allegedly thrown to the ground as the crowd attempted to overpower them and seize their service weapons. The vehicle in which the jawans arrived sustained extensive damage.

Sources further claimed that several Bangladeshi nationals, allegedly involved in cross-border smuggling networks while residing in the Ashabari area, participated in the assault. However, these assertions have yet to be officially verified by authorities.

Following the outbreak of violence, reinforcement units from the Ashabari BOP rushed to the scene, prompting the assailants to flee into surrounding areas.

A CCTV camera installed at a residence situated opposite the site of the attack is believed to have captured the entire incident. Police and BSF personnel have reportedly retrieved the video footage to assist in their inquiry.

Senior police and BSF officials subsequently visited Boxanagar to evaluate the security situation and review the circumstances surrounding the clash. Boxanagar Police have launched an investigation to track down all individuals involved in the violence.

The unprecedented assault on border security personnel has generated an atmosphere of extreme tension and insecurity in Ashabari, raising heightened concerns regarding the safety of front-line guards and the escalating threat posed by organised smuggling networks operating along the border region.

ANI