Smuggler killed in skirmish with BSF in North 24-Parganas

KOLKATA: A smuggler was killed and three Border Security Force (BSF) jawans of the South Bengal Frontier received serious injuries in three skirmishes along the Indo-Bangla border in North 24-Parganas early on Wednesday. According to the BSF, the border troopers were attacked by smugglers - both from India and Bangladesh - when attempts were made to thwart their efforts to smuggle across cattle.
"The first incident occurred around 4.40 am when a patrol party at the Angrail Border Outpost (BOP) spotted 15-20 smugglers with cattle making their way towards the international border. On being challenged, the smugglers attacked the jawans with sharp edged weapons resulting in serious injuries to constable Sanjay Kumar. Four fingers of this right hand and three of his left were nearly severed. He had to be rushed to the Bongaon sub-division hospital where he is admitted," an officer said.
Around 5.50 am, another patrol party at the Khalshi BOP was attacked by smugglers with dahs and lathis. The jawans were surrounded and pelted with stones. Sanjeev Kumar, a constable, was attacked on the shoulder and an attempt was made to snatch his weapon. Kumar was forced to open fire (a single round) in self defence and an Indian cattle smuggler was killed. Kumar and another constable Abdul Karim were moved to hospital for treatment. Karim was injured in the back and leg.
"The third incident occurred almost simultaneously at the Bithari BOP. The BSF patrol party challenged a group of 20-30 cattle smugglers and was attacked. There was heavy stone pelting and constable Pankaj Kumar got separated from his colleagues. When the smugglers attempted to snatch Kumar's weapon, he was forced to fire a round that hit a Bangladeshi smuggler in the left thigh. The Bangladeshi managed to slip across the border, taking advantage of the nearby houses," the officer added.
In the last six years, four BSF jawans have been killed and 353 injured while guarding the border in the South Bengal Frontier, another official added.