The border guarding troops on Friday foiled an infiltration bid in Kailashahar areas under Unakoti district and seized huge quantities of dry cannabis (Ganja) after disperse Bangladeshi armed smugglers by firing four rounds in Sonamura.

BSF through a press statement said that based on intelligence input regarding an infiltration bid from the general area of border outpost (BOP) Tillabazar of Kailashahar under Unakoti district, a special operation was planned by BSF in the Panisagar Sector.

On Friday morning BSF ambush party which was ahead of fence in area of BOP Tillabazar, observed some suspicious movement of 15-20 Bangladeshi nationals moving toward the border fence from Bangladesh side with an intention to cross over and enter India. 

When the BSF ambush party challenged the group of infiltrators to stop, they did not pay heed and further tried to forcibly cross the border fence. One stun grenade was fired by the BSF party to deter the infiltration bid. But some of the infiltrators who were equipped with sharp edged weapons, tried to attack the BSF party. As a part of graded response and non-lethal strategy, one round of pump action gun was then fired.

When the non-lethal approach failed to make any difference one round of 5.56 INSAS was fired towards the intruders. Meanwhile reinforcements also rushed at the scene of incident from BOP Tillabazar. On being outnumbered by BSF and at the prospect of getting caught, the intruders managed to flee towards Bangladesh side. The area where this incident took place is covered with dense vegetation and is conducive for infiltration and smuggling. Few ‘daos’ and knives have been recovered from the site. BSF is lodging a strong protest with BGB for illegal incursion by Bangladesh nationals.

In another incident, acting on specific information, BSF foiled a major smuggling attempt of Ganja in the area of BOP Dipak near Sonamura. On Friday afternoon, Ambush party of BSF observed suspicious movement of miscreants on both side of border fence. On being challenged, the smugglers attacked BSF personnel as they were armed with sharp-edged weapon. Sensing imminent danger to life and government property, BSF party fired two PAG rounds which resulted in the smugglers fleeing towards Bangladesh. Further the area was thoroughly searched and BSF seized huge quantity of Ganja.

BSF is continuing with its efforts to curb the menace of drugs and illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals through the border in the state of Tripura.