One dead as SSB men, villagers clash near India-Nepal border

At least one person was killed and three others were injured Monday in an exchange of gunfire between Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel and villagers near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal's, police said.

However, the SSB, said at least four of its personnel were injured when villagers near India-Nepal border in Darjeeling district fired at them with country made guns after the paramilitary troopers tried to stop smuggling of cattle.

No civilian was injured in firing by the troopers, said SSB officer.

According to SSB Inspector General (Siliguri Frontier) Kuldeep Singh, many villagers were trying to smuggle as many as 200 cows from Nepal to Bangladesh and were intercepted by troopers along the border.

He said the villagers fired at them.

"Four to five of our men were injured. In the counter-attack, our men fired six to seven rounds in the air. None of the civilians were injured due to our firing," IG said.

However, a Darjeeling district police officer said four civilians - two adults and two children - were injured.

Later, Darjeeling police superintendent Akhilesh Chaturvedi said Sukamal alias Shiv Kumar Roy (28) died due to bullet injuries.

A few others sustained minor injuries in the scuffle that broke out after the firing.

The villagers claimed that the SSB personnel fired at them while they were returning home after taking their cows for grazing.