Shillong (Meghalaya), March 2: Acting on specific information regarding the smuggling of a large quantity of sugar and onions, a special operation was launched by BSF troops in the night of Friday, March 1, 2024, in the general area of 110 Bn’s border outpost.
The BSF party observed miscreants carrying smuggling goods towards Bangladesh very close to the International Border. Simultaneously, a large number of Bangladeshi miscreants became active on the Bangladesh side to receive the smuggling consignment.
The BSF party challenged the miscreants to stop but they adamantly refused to comply and kept on advancing. The situation was aggravated when more miscreants encircled the BSF personnel and pelted stones on them.
Despite warnings and use of non-lethal weapons to disperse the mob, the miscreants persisted on their aggressive behavior and attacked BSF personnel with iron machetes and sticks and pelted stones, resulting in injuries of three BSF personnel, of which one was injured severely on right eye.
In spite of repeated warnings, the miscreants did not deter and kept on approaching aggressively towards BSF party with the intention to cause physical injury to BSF party and also tried to snatch their weapons. Sensing the dire circumstances and acute threat one shot was fired in air to disperse the miscreants but they did not get fazed by the fire.
Thereafter sensing the aggressive demeanor, second round was fired as a result of which miscreants of both sides dispersed. Later on, it was learnt that one smuggler was killed in the incident and another Bangladesh smuggler had sustained injuries at Dalia village along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Shella last night.
The killed has been identified as one Asen M Marak.
The general area is being frequently exploited by smugglers to smuggle cattle heads, Sugar, Onion, liquor and other contraband items to Bangladesh and many smuggling syndicates are active in the area who try to derail peace in the border area.
