Villagers say auxiliary police unit of Bangladesh was trying to loot their homes

Indian villagers lynched a Bangladesh security personnel and detained another who allegedly tried to loot their village in south Tripura on Wednesday night.

The Border Guards, Bangladesh (BGB), in a flag meeting with India’s Border Security Force (BSF), expressed regret over the intrusion and assured a thorough probe.

Reported from Belonia

The incident occurred in the Belonia subdivision along the zero line of the border. Around 12 families of the village left the other side of barbed wire fencing as it was erected 150 yard from the border to respect a bilateral agreement with Bangladesh.

The families of the ‘enclave’ claimed that 10 personnel of the Ansar organisation, an auxiliary force of the Bangladesh police, and two civilians forcefully entered their homes. The Ansar members were in their official attire and were armed with rifles.

Later, the villagers fought the intruders with bamboo sticks and kitchen knives. They mowed down an Ansar man and caught a civilian while the rest got away.

An official of the BSF’s 86 battalion, which is deployed in the area, said on Thursday that its troops immediately unlocked the fencing gate and rushed to protect the villagers. “Our timely intervention prevented further attack from the Bangladesh side,” he told The Hindu , adding that they will ensure protection of affected families.

The police said the deceased had been identified as Mohammad Mir Nausad Ali, 50, of the 3rd battalion of Ansar. His body and service rifle were handed over to Ansar officials and the BGB after completion of an autopsy and official formalities.

Civilian detained

The detained civilian, identified as Suman Mia, 29, hails from Bangladesh’s Feni district. He was one of two auto rickshaw drivers who drove Ansar members to the Indian village.

A court sent Suman Mia to jail for five days and asked the police to complete investigation. The police are confident of getting vital information from the accused about repeated looting incidents in Indian border villagers after obtaining his remand on next forwarding on March 14. Six Indian villagers were injured in an attack by Bangladesh Ansar intruders. However, all of them are safe.