Kolkata: A Bangladeshi smuggler was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) early Wednesday for allegedly attacking it's troops while illegally crossing the international border along Malda district in West Bengal. The deceased, Ibrahim (24), was from Chapainawabganj in Bangladesh.
At around 1.40 am, a jawan of 70th BSF Battalion at Nawada border outpost saw the movements of around 15-20 persons on both sides of the border. He asked them to stop. The Bangladeshi smugglers however attacked him with stones and a sharp Dah.
The BSF jawan then tried to drive away them, lobbing non-lethal stun grenades but it went in vain. The BSF (South Bengal Frontier) stated, "In the end, for the sake of self-defense and protection of life and property, he was compelled to fire with his personal weapon, due to which a Bangladeshi smuggler got injured near the fence."
The BSF rescued Ibrahim and rushed him to Malda Medical College and Hospital where he was declared brought dead. A search around the spot led to the recovery of 197 bottles of Phensedyl, a mobile and two iron rods. Ibrahim came to collect the items for another smuggler Kalu Sheikh of Chapainawabganj, the BSF added.
In a protest note to the Border Guard Bangladesh, the BSF stated that since Ibrahim's house at Dhulipara in Shibganj is around six km away from the border in Bangladesh, how he could come 200 meters inside the Indian territory. The BSF also sought the BGB to stop the smugglers from its area from entering the Indian side and take strictest legal action against them.
