BSF Officer Attacked By Cattle Smugglers In Tripura Succumbs To Injuries

A Border Security Force (BSF) commanding officer, who was attacked by cattle smugglers while on duty along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura on Monday, succumbed to his injuries earlier today, ANI has reported.

The second-in-command rank officer, Deepak K Mondal, in-charge of the 145th battalion of the border guarding force was evacuated to Kolkata after the attack.

The incident took place at about 2am near the Belardeppa border post in the Sipahijala district of the state when the officer was allegedly hit by a four-wheeler being used by the smugglers. He was patrolling the area with his team to check cattle smuggling and other illegal activities along the international border which is “unfenced” here, an accompanying BSF jawan said.

Mondal saw some cattle smugglers and challenged them, he said, adding the officer along with his guard and driver tried to stop them.

“The group of about 25 smugglers were carrying bricks, lathis and machetes. When challenged, the smugglers tried to gherao the officer and the patrol party. Smugglers’ vehicle hit the officer from behind and he sustained severe injury to his head and legs and he is critical,” the jawan added.

An accompanying Border Security Force jawan fired five rounds from his rifle to control the situation, he said adding the area has been cordoned off.

With inputs from PTI