New Delhi/Kolkata: The Border Security Force (BSF) said Friday the Bangladeshi action of killing their trooper and injuring another along the border in West Bengal was unprovoked and that its personnel did not fire ‘a single bullet’ when a flag meeting took place between the two sides.
A senior official rejected the claim made by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) that its patrol team ‘had to open fire in self-defence amid gunfire by BSF men’.
“Our men have not fired a single bullet. It was an unprovoked action by the BGB that killed the BSF jawan and injured another,” the official stated.
The BGB had said since the BSF personnel had intruded into Bangladesh’s territory, they were told they would be handed over to authorities after the proposed meeting. The situation created panic among Indian border guards, a late night statement issued Thursday by BGB in Dhaka said. “The BSF men then turned furious and opened gunfire and started going back to their (Indian) territory,” the BGB alleged.
The BSF official countered this, stating that the force party of six troops had entered 400 meters into the international border across the Padma river in Murshidabad district as that is the ‘designated place for flag meeting’.
“When BGB requests BSF for flag meeting, we go inside the territory of Bangladesh. When we call BGB for flag meeting, they enter inside our territory at designated point,” the official informed.
The BSF also defended its party leader or post commander of the local area wearing shorts during the flag meeting. It said that it is a requirement of that special geographical area.
“Out of 6 BSF troops, one was in civil dress and post commander was wearing camouflage T-shirt and shorts below. Since, the area is muddy and riverine, most of the time men remain in shorts and sandals,” the officer said.
It should be mentioned here that 51-year-old head constable Vijay Bhan Singh was killed while constable Rajvir Yadav was injured in the firing triggered by a BGB trooper.
Security has been stepped up all along the 4,096 km long Indo-Bangla border guard by the BSF and the BGB, in the wake of the incident.
PTI