Rajnath expresses regret over firing on Tripura-Bangladesh border

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed his regret on firing at the Tripura-Bangladesh border yesterday, that resulted in three casualties.

The Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) has been asked to submit a detailed inquiry report on the incident.

The BSF men on duty near the border area of BOP Bhangamura under 31 battalion BSF Tripura frontier observed 30-40 smugglers including men and women, trying to smuggle cattle from India to Bangladesh through unfenced gap.

The BSF challenged them and fired two warning shots in the air to disperse the smugglers, but the smugglers did not pay any heed.

They encircled the BSF and attacked them.

Sensing their life in danger, the BSF fired in self-defence, in which three smugglers died.

Firing was the last resort available to troopers.

The BSF personnel also sustained injuries during the scuffle.

The BSF managed to seize ten cattle which were brought to be smuggled.

An enquiry has been ordered by BSF to investigate the incident.

The deceased have been identified as Parakumar (40), Man Kumar (30) and Swaralaxmi (40) while the injured have been identified as Sunil Kumar (47) and Jiban Kumar (22).

Meanwhile, the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

The local police are investigating the matter.