Agartala, November 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Nine people, including three women, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in an attack on Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at Ashabari along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura’s Sepahijala district, police said on Tuesday. Three BSF personnel, including a Company Commander, were injured in the incident on Monday.
According to police, BSF personnel spotted Indian and Bangladeshi smugglers allegedly involved in illegal cross-border trade. They apprehended an Indian smuggler, while those on the Bangladeshi side fled. The Indian smuggler also escaped and allegedly told villagers that BSF personnel had assaulted him.
Following this, a mob of men and women gathered, surrounded the BSF vehicle and attacked the personnel with sticks. The attackers allegedly attempted to snatch a jawan’s rifle and damaged a BSF vehicle. One of the attackers was also injured. The injured BSF personnel were taken to a government hospital.
The mob also allegedly tried to block roads by felling trees to prevent the movement of security forces and civilian vehicles. Senior BSF and police officials reached the spot and brought the situation under control, although tension continued in the area. Police said nine accused had been arrested so far and a search operation was underway to nab others.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha strongly condemned the attack and assured strict legal action. In a post on X, he said that eight accused had been arrested and that all those involved would be brought to justice. In a separate post, he described the assault on BSF personnel as unacceptable and said the authorities had been directed to take swift and stringent action.
Leader of Opposition and senior Left leader Jitendra Chaudhury also condemned the attack but accused the state government of failing to curb cross-border smuggling. He alleged that some ruling party workers were involved in the illegal trade and that the authorities had remained silent.
The report recalled earlier incidents in the same district in which BSF Deputy Commandant Deepak Kumar Mandal of the 145th Battalion and Tripura Police Sub-Inspector Durga Kumar Hrangkhawl were killed while attempting to prevent cross-border smuggling.
Tripura shares an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded by the neighbouring country on three sides. Most stretches of the border are fenced to prevent smuggling, trans-border crimes and illegal movement.
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