A suspected sugar smuggler was killed and four others, including three BSF jawans were injured during a confrontation at Dalia village along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Shella last night.
A group of people, suspected to be smugglers from India and Bangladesh had confronted the jawans at around 8 pm when a BSF posse on duty came upon a group of people trying to engage in smuggling of sugar, onion, and other materials.
The victim has been identified as 45-year old Asen M Marak.
According to the BSF a special operation was launched in the general area of 110 battalion’s border outpost when a group of people, suspected to be smugglers from India and Bangladesh, gathered on both sides of the border to smuggle goods.
The BSF stated that when the troops challenged the miscreants to stop, they adamantly refused to comply and kept on advancing.
“The situation was aggravated when more miscreants encircled the BSF personnel and attacked with iron machetes and sticks and pelted stones, resulting in injuries of three BSF personnel who had to be shifted to Shillong,” the BSF said.
According to the BSF in spite of repeated warnings the miscreants did not deter and kept on approaching aggressively towards their personnel with the intention to cause bodily injury to them and also tried to snatch their weapons.
The BSF personnel sensing dire circumstances and acute threat one shot was fired in air to disperse the miscreants but they did not get fazed by the fire.
“Thereafter sensing the aggressive demeanour, second round was fired as a result of which miscreants of both sides dispersed. Later on, it was learnt that one smuggler had died in the incident and another Bangladeshi smuggler had sustained injuries,” the BSF stated.
According to the BSF the general area is being frequently exploited by smugglers to smuggle cattle heads, sugar, onion, liquor and other contraband items to Bangladesh and many smuggling syndicates are active in the area who try to derail peace in the border area just for their own vested interest.
“The BSF is investigating the matter and preventive measures are being taken accordingly,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Rituraj Ravi said that the matter is under investigation to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the incident.
