AGARTALA: At least 24 people, including two border guards, were injured when BSF resorted to baton charge on villagers allegedly for trying to help smugglers in despatching cows to Bangladesh last night at Putia village of Sonamura in Sepahijala district.
The official report said the BSF found some people cows were cutting the wire fencing along Indo-Bangladesh border and tried to stop them.
Initially, they challenged the border guard personnel and attacked BSF jawans that left two personnel - Md Siddiqur Rehaman and Md Amin injured.
Meantime, a group of villagers rushed in support of the smugglers and together attacked the BSF who were only few in numbers. Within 10 minutes BSF reinforcement reached the spot and baton charged to retaliate the counter-attack, BSF claimed.
The smugglers managed to mix up with the villagers and the cows were also released by the civilians. The report said that a group of youths of the village have been involved in smuggling for long time but BSF could not identify them.
They have a criminal gang inside India and another side of border in Bangladesh where females are also used in adverse situation.
Salema Khatun, who was injured in the incident, alleged that they did not know about smuggling activities but came out from the house hearing the sound of unusual movement of people in the darkness She accused the jawans of even entering their house and torturing women and children.
Four children appearing in the Madhyamik examination were also beaten up mercilessly by BSF. They did not spare old persons and without any proof branded us as abetters of smugglers, she said.
Later on police reached the area and took control of the situation. Altogether 10 injured persons were shifted to Agartala Government Medical College. Senior BSF officials, however, visited the area and held meeting with villagers to maintain peace.