Agartala, Nov 3: In a serious incident along the India-Bangladesh international border, three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were injured after being brutally attacked by a mob armed with bamboo sticks and lathis at Ashabari village in Tripura’s Boxanagar area on Monday.
During the assault, the attackers also allegedly took away a service rifle, while a vehicle carrying the BSF personnel was vandalised.
The incident has triggered widespread concern, with videos of the attack circulating on social media, showing a group of men and women assaulting the uniformed personnel and attempting to overpower them. The brazen attack has raised serious questions about the activities of suspected smuggling networks and the local support allegedly extended to them in vulnerable border areas.
Taking serious note of the incident, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha directed the police department to take swift and stringent action against those involved.
The Chief Minister wrote: "I strongly condemn the brutal assault on our brave BSF personnel at Ashabari by a group of miscreants. Such acts of violence against our security forces are completely unacceptable and deserve unequivocal condemnation. Any attack on our security personnel is a matter of grave concern and must be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law. Concerned authorities directed to take swift and stringent action against those responsible and ensure that justice is delivered. Our security personnel deserve the utmost respect and protection."
Acting on the instructions, Sepahijala district police launched an extensive operation and arrested 10 persons, including three women, from the Ashabari Gram Panchayat area.
The arrests were made through successive raids conducted from Monday night until Tuesday morning. The arrested persons have been identified as Lovely Akhtar, Jasmine Akhtar, Sukanta Begum, Pera Mia, Russell Mia, Riaz Mia, Faruk Mia, Kabir Hossain, Liton Mia and Hefzur Rahman.
All 10 accused were produced before the Sonamura district court on Tuesday. Police sought five days of remand for interrogation. The court subsequently granted police remand for seven male accused, while the three women were sent to judicial custody. The arrest operation was led by Sepahijala Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma.
According to police sources, the incident took place at around 10 am on Monday when BSF personnel belonging to the 49th Battalion, deployed at Ashabari Border Outpost (BOP), were conducting surveillance near border gates 175 and 176. During the patrol, they reportedly noticed suspicious activities and chased a group of suspected smugglers. One person was detained, following which a large number of local residents gathered at the spot.
The situation soon escalated into violence. Company Commander Rohit Kumar, accompanied by another BSF personnel and a driver, was travelling towards Boxanagar in a four-wheeler bearing registration number TR-01-L-1051 when a mob allegedly intercepted and attacked the vehicle at Ashabari. The attackers, reportedly armed with bamboo sticks and other weapons, assaulted the personnel and damaged the vehicle.
Three BSF personnel sustained injuries in the attack. They were initially taken to Boxanagar Primary Hospital before being shifted to Tripura Medical College in Agartala for advanced medical treatment.
Following the incident, the BSF lodged a written complaint at Kalamchoura Police Station, naming 19 persons along with several unidentified individuals allegedly involved in the assault.
Meanwhile, senior police and BSF officials held meetings at Kalamchoura Police Station and Ashabari BOP to assess the situation and coordinate further security measures. A joint security march involving around 200 personnel from the police, BSF and other security agencies was organised at approximately 4 pm on Tuesday.
The march commenced near Rahimpur Class XII School and covered nearly five kilometres through Rahimpur, Ashabari and Madhya Boxanagar before reaching Boxanagar BOP via Kalamchoura Police Station. The exercise was aimed at strengthening security presence and restoring confidence in the border region.
Addressing the media, Sepahijala SP Bijoy Debbarma said that the investigation was underway and the remaining accused would be arrested soon. Police have assured that strict legal action would be taken against everyone found involved in the attack.
The incident has once again brought the issue of organised smuggling and the challenges faced by border guarding personnel into sharp focus, highlighting the need for stronger security measures and effective action against networks operating along the international border.