One 18-year-old individual sustained rubber bullet injuries at the Indo-Bangla bordering village in Tripura late Monday night.
In a bid to prevent a daring smuggling operation, BSF jawans were forced to resort to firing in the Boxanagar area, resulting in the 18-year-old individual, identified as Kamal Mia, sustaining injuries from a rubber bullet.
The incident transpired during the late hours between Monday and Tuesday near the 179 No Border gate, where a group of alleged smugglers, purportedly led by a local trader named Anwar Hussain, were attempting to smuggle a consignment of sugar into Bangladesh.
Vigilant patrolling jawans from the 150th Battalion of the BSF detected the illicit activity and promptly intervened, urging the smugglers to abandon their illicit endeavor. The situation quickly escalated when the smugglers responded by pelting the BSF personnel with a barrage of stones. It was reported that the smugglers directed intense beams of light toward the BSF jawans, aiming to create optical illusions and further disrupt their efforts.
As tensions mounted and the confrontation teetered on the brink of chaos, the BSF took the decisive step of firing rubber bullets and one of these rubber bullets struck Kamal Mia in the neck.
Kamal Mia, described as a laborer allegedly engaged in the smuggling operation led by Anwar Hussain’s group, was expeditiously rushed to the Boxanagar Community Hospital for immediate medical attention.
Subsequently, he was transferred to the GB Hospital for specialized care and underwent surgical procedures. Presently, Kamal Mia continues to receive treatment at the GB Trauma Centre.
It may be noted that a by-poll will be held at Boxanagar where the incident occurred. Even as the security personnel have tightened vigil both along the International border and inside the Indian Territory. However, the menace of the smugglers in vast areas of the Boxanagar and adjoining areas remains unabated.
The smugglers have become so much aggressive and violent that they often put the BSF jawans to act tough to curb the illicit actions.
Another crucial point that the injured Mia exposed was the involvement of young individuals as labourers in smuggling activities. Seizing the opportunity of financial backwardness, the smugglers lure the young people to work as labourers to smuggle the goods across the border. This is an alarming situation that is prevailing in Boxanagar and other areas.