Tripura youth shot dead allegedly by BSF jawan in border village

A youth from a village in South Tripura district was shot dead allegedly by a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel along the India-Bangladesh border on Sunday. The incident took place after a clash broke out between two groups.

Jashim Miah (23), from Debipur village of Belonia sub division in South Tripura, is believed to have died from a bullet wound. Speaking to reporters, his father Khalek Miah said he was being assaulted by some border personnel when his son rushed to save him. He claimed that a BSF jawan opened fire at his son, resulting in his death.

Locals rushed the 23-year-old to a nearby hospital but he was declared dead on arrival.

The police, while not giving out specific details of the incident, said officers have reached the spot and further information is awaited. “We are not yet in a position to convey what led to the incident. Our officers are still on the spot. A case will be registered,” a duty officer from the district police headquarters said.

Sources in the BSF, however, claimed that a jawan opened fire from a non-lethal weapon in self-defence as villagers tried to overpower the personnel during a scuffle with cattle smugglers.

In a statement issued late evening, the BSF said a team of BSF personnel intercepted a group of seven-eight trans-border miscreants trying to damage the border fence with an ill intention to smuggle cattle to Bangladesh. “When the troops on duty tried to resist such unlawful act, the miscreants adopted aggressive posture and physically attacked the BSF party using dao & lathis (sticks), which resulted in serious injuries to one of the BSF Jawans,” the statement read.

It added that the BSF personnel resorted to fire of 01 shot from Pump Action Gun (PAG) in self-defence after which a large crowd gathered at the spot encircling the BSF party. “….. one miscreant namely Jasim Miah, son of Khalek Miah, resident of Village– Debipur, Police Office – Hrishyamuk, District –Tripura South sustained pellet injury… further learnt that the injured miscreant was evacuated to PHC Hrishyamukh and further referred to Sub Divisional Hospital Belonia, where the Doctor declared him dead,” the BSF PRO said.