Smuggler killed in firing by BSF; weapons, contraband recovered

A Bangladeshi smuggler was killed in retaliatory firing by Border Security Force at India-Bangladesh border in Malda district of West Bengal on Sunday night, BSF has said. "On the night of August 11-12, along India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda district, jawans from the Chandnichak Border Outpost of the 115th Battalion, under the BSF South Bengal Frontier, were brutally attacked by Bangladeshi smugglers armed with sharp-edged weapons," BSF said.

"Bangladeshi smugglers were trying to smuggle contraband items. However, the jawans foiled the attempt by firing in self-defence. In this retaliatory action, a Bangladeshi smuggler was killed. Sharp weapons and contraband items were recovered during a search of the area," BSF said in a statement.

"Sources have revealed that the name of the deceased is Abdullah, a Bangladeshi smuggler, who is a resident of Rishipara village in the border district of Chapainawabganj of Bangladesh. Rishipara village is 4.5 km inside Bangladesh from the international border. He had crossed the security cordon of BGB and entered the Indian border illegally to take a consignment of bidi leaves," BSF said in a statement.


DIG and spokesperson for BSF South Bengal Frontier, AK Arya, said, "Despite frequent flag meetings with the Border Guard Bangladesh to alert them about the ongoing attacks and illegal infiltration by Bangladeshi criminals, no concrete action has been taken. This inaction has emboldened the smugglers and criminals."