Bangladeshi smugglers attacked Border Security Force (BSF) jawans near a border outpost in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Monday. The jawans of the 05 Battalion were on duty when they were assaulted by smugglers armed with sharp weapons and sticks. Acting in self-defense, the jawans opened fire and successfully thwarted the smuggling attempt.
Acting on a tip-off about a possible gold smuggling operation between Khararmath and the Pipli border outpost, the jawans set up an ambush ahead of the fence. Around 11:15 pm, they spotted four smugglers moving rapidly towards the fence, armed with sharp weapons. When challenged by the jawans, the smugglers attacked.
In retaliation, the jawans fired at the smugglers, who then fled towards Bangladesh. One smuggler, attempting to cross the river, was challenged again but approached aggressively with a sharp weapon. In self-defense, the jawans fired a round at the smuggler, who then jumped into the Ichhamati River and escaped using the water hyacinth for cover. The BSF stated that the possibility of any smuggler getting injured during the firing could not be ruled out.
Subsequent searches at the scene led to the recovery of sharp-edged weapons. Similar incidents of attacks on BSF personnel have recently been reported in the South Bengal Frontier, including at the border outposts of Ranghat, Jeetpur, Madhupur, and Sasni, where jawans fired in self-defense and seized narcotics.
Following the attack, a meeting with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) was held, during which a strong protest was lodged against the incident. Additionally, a preliminary report has been filed at the local police station.
