Agartala, October 16: Tension gripped the Rahimpur border area after two Bangladeshi border personnel were allegedly apprehended by local residents on the Indian side of the barbed-wire fence late Thursday night. The two were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Imran Hossain and Constable Ruhit Dewan.
According to local accounts, the duo allegedly arrived at the border’s zero point in an intoxicated condition and attempted to detain a local businessperson. However, alert residents intervened, thwarting their alleged attempt, and reportedly assaulted the two personnel before the Border Security Force (BSF) reached the spot.
The 49th Battalion of the BSF subsequently took the two Bangladeshi personnel into custody and brought them to the Asharam Bari camp. They underwent medical examinations during the night and remained at the camp until their handover.
At around 1 pm on Friday, the two were handed over to senior Bangladeshi border officials following a flag meeting at border gate No. 163. The Indian delegation included the BSF’s Second-in-Command (2IC), a Deputy Commandant and Inspector Arun Kumar.
Local residents have alleged that the two personnel had repeatedly crossed the border, detained people and demanded payments ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. They further alleged that those refusing to pay were framed by being implicated in cases involving cannabis or Yaba tablets. However, these allegations have not been independently verified.
The incident has raised questions about how the two personnel allegedly entered Indian territory and crossed the border fencing without being intercepted earlier. Concerns have also emerged over border surveillance and security arrangements in the area.
The handover following the flag meeting brought the immediate episode to a close, but questions surrounding the alleged attempted detention and the circumstances of the border crossing remain.