Tripura: Alleged Bangladeshi smugglers clash with BSF at border, tension defused

Border tension flared up at Maguruli village in Tripura's Unakoti district after a confrontation between Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and alleged Bangladeshi smugglers turned violent last Monday.

BSF troops intercepted a sugar smuggling attempt near border pillar 47 when the situation escalated. "Two BSF personnel chased the smugglers and inadvertently crossed into Bangladeshi territory. They fired blank shots using a Pump Action Gun to disperse the smugglers, who had pelted stones at the BSF," a security source revealed.

The confrontation intensified as smugglers reportedly mobilized local Bangladeshi villagers and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) personnel. "The villagers, along with the smugglers, attempted to physically assault the BSF personnel, tried to snatch their rifles, and attacked them with sharp weapons," the source added.

While footage of the incident has circulated on social media, BSF officials remained unavailable for comment when contacted by India Today NE.

Peace was restored following emergency flag meetings between BSF and BGB commanders at Maguruli on Tuesday. The meetings helped defuse tensions along this sensitive stretch of the India-Bangladesh international border, which falls under Maguruli Gram Panchayat jurisdiction in Kailashahar.