An Indian paramilitary trooper,  on duty at the country’s border with Bangladesh in Nadia district of West Bengal state, was injured when he was attacked by Bangladeshi smugglers who intruded into India territory for stealing crops, an official statement said on Friday.
 
According to the Border Security Force, the incident took place at 11 am (Indian Standard Time) on September 16. The troopers at the Border Out Post Fitkarigate of 08 Battalion BSF challenged four Bangladeshi nationals harvesting crops on the Indian side.

But instead of stopping, they kept on harvesting and attacked the BSF personnel with sharp weapons when the troopers tried to apprehend the intruders. One trooper was injured.

The miscreants managed to escape into Bangladesh. Despite heavy patrolling, cattle smuggling is rife along the 4,096 km India-Bangladesh border. 

The injured trooper has been hospitalized,

“In future, troops will not hesitate to take strict steps in such cases,” said B Madhusudan Rao, Commanding Officer, 08 Battalion BSF.

The BSF has written a protest letter to Border Guard Bangladesh, who have assured they would take the “strictest action against the miscreants involved in this incident”, said Rao.

(SAM)