A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, who accompanied his seniors to a flag meeting, was shot in the head by Bangladesh border guards on Thursday, a BSF spokesperson said. A second BSF soldier was also injured in the shooting,said to be the first of its kind in more than a decade.
The incident took place near the Kakmari Char border outpost in Bengal’s Murshidabad district,more than 200 km away from Kolkata around a few minutes before midday.
The flag meeting between the two local commanders had been called at the instance of the BGB after they caught three Indian villagers who were fishing in Padma river in the border area of Bengal’s Berhampore.
BGB troopers reportedly later freed two of them with instructions to “call the BSF post Commander for flag meeting”, the BSF spokesperson said.
This meeting took place at about 10.30 am; the BSF’s Post Commander along with 5 soldiers approached the BGB patrol in the water channel.
“During the flag meeting, the BGB patrol did not release Indian fisherman and also tried to cordon (gherao) BSF troops,” the spokesperson said.
“Sensing the situation (was) worsening, BSF party immediately returned… BGB troops opened fire on the returning BSF party,” the BSF said.
Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh received bullet injuries on his head. A constable, who was a crew member on the boat, received bullet injuries on his right hand.
There is still no clarity on the trigger for the shooting, which has taken the Home Ministry in Delhi by surprise.
The last reported clash between BSF and bangladesh border guards that resulted in a soldier’s death dates back to 2005 when Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) soldiers, as the BGB was then called, killed BSF Assistant Commandant Jeevan Kumar. The BDR was disbanded and reconstituted into the BGB after a massive rebellion in 2009 that saw the killing of 50 officers, including its chief.
The two forces have been working closely over the last decade or so and even have a coordinated border management plan in place.
.
