BSF opens fire, foils crooks' border plans

SNS, SILIGURI, 10 SEPTEMBER 21 : The Border Security Force (BSF) opened two rounds of fire from the Pump Action Gun in "self defence" when a group of at least five miscreants on the Bangladesh side moved towards the international boundary and fired three rounds from a country-made weapon on BSF jawans at the Border Outpost (BOP) Vivekananda in the Fulbari area rear Siliguri today, the BSF said.

"A patrolling party of the BOP under the 51 Battalion of the BSF was dominating the bordering area to thwart any nefarious attempt of smugglers and anti-nation elements" when the incident happened, the BSF said.

The BSF added that all the miscreants fled the spot under cover of darkness after the firing. "During a search of the area, one cattle and one mobile phone were recovered from the spot," a BSF official said.

In an official statement, the North Bengal Frontier BSF Headquarters said that the patrolling party noticed suspicious movement of a group of four to five people on the Bangladesh side and that they were moving towards the international boundary.

"The patrolling party immediately alerted the flanking sentry and rushed to the spot. The BSF patrolling party challenged the miscreants, but they did not pay any heed and they fired three rounds from country-made weapons (katta) at the BSF troops. Sensing imminent danger to life and to save government property, the BSF patrolling party fired two rounds from the Pump Action Gun in self defence," the statement said.

On the other hand, the BSF is also conducting a special anti-smuggling drive.

"BSF jawans from the Chakgopal border outpost under the 137 Battalion in Dakshin Dinajpur apprehended an Indian national, namely Palash Sarkar, a resident of Hilli, with Hilsa fish, while he was illegally trying to cross the international boundary two days ago," the BSF said today.