US aware of BSF action at Bangladesh-India border, claims spokesperson

The spokesperson of the US State Department, Matthew Miller informed that the United States is aware of the reports regarding Border Security Forces (BSF) action at the Bangladesh-India border.

In the wake of media reports claiming that Border Security Forces (BSF) killed two Bangladeshi men in Panchagarh's Tetulia upazila on May 8, Miller addressed a press conference on May 9, noting that Indian and Bangladeshi border security agencies are in communication. 

Additionally, he said that he would defer to them to speak about their respective investigations into the circumstances of the shooting.

On reports circulating around two Bangladeshi citizens being shot by Indian security forces at the Bangladesh-India border, Miller said, "So, we are aware of the reports about this incident. We understand the Indian and Bangladeshi border security agencies are in communication with one another, and I would defer to them to speak to their respective investigations into the circumstances of the shooting."

BSF North Bengal Frontier's spokesperson said that the incident happened on the intervening night of May 7-8. According to the spokesperson, 8-10 cattle smugglers from Bangladesh attempted to cross the international border by cutting the fence with the intention of smuggling cattle. A patrolling party of BSF spotted them and challenged them.

The spokesperson told ANI, "The incident happened on the intervening night of May 7-8 around 23:30 hours. There were 8-10 cattle smugglers from Bangladesh who tried to cross the international border by cutting the fence with the intention of smuggling cattles. They entered 500 metres inside Indian territory. Meanwhile, a patrolling party of BSF saw them and they challenged them and initially lobbed non-lethal stun-grenade and chilli-grenade. This did not deter them."

"Instead, the group of smugglers tried to surround the BSF troops, leading to firing by BSF. Two of the smugglers were cutting the fences. They were hit and they succumbed to their injuries. Their postmortem has been completed and further proceedings to hand over their bodies will be done afterwards," the BSF spokesperson told ANI.

According to reports, cattle smuggling attempts were made on April 17 and April 29 also wherein smugglers tried to breach the fences. 

Lt Colonel Jubayed Hasan, Commanding Officer of Border Guard Bangladesh-18 (BGB-1B) said that the incident occurred near the Khaykhatpara border in the upazila around 12:30 am (local time), as per Bangladesh-based media.

After the incident, a flag meeting of the BGB-BSF was held at the zero line of the same border. For the meeting, SS Sirohi, commandant of the 176 BSF Battalion, led the Indian side, while BGB-18 CO Jubayed Hasan led the Bangladeshi side, as per reports.

In a similar incident, Tripura Police apprehended three individuals suspected of illegal entry into India in Dharmanagar, North Tripura on April 29 during a routine mobile patrol conducted by the Dharmanagar Police Station.