By IANS
Kolkata : A Bangladeshi cattle smuggler was shot dead by Indian border guards Monday morning while attempting to cross the border in West Bengal’s South Dinajpur district, triggering retaliatory firing by their Bangladeshi counterparts.
A Border Security Force (BSF) official said Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) men fired more than five rounds at them after a Bangladeshi cattle smuggler died in firing while fleeing to the other side.
The incident occurred under the Hili police station area in South Dinajpur district, about 300 km from Kolkata.
The 28-battalion BSF chased a group of cattle smugglers and resorted to firing when they were trying to cross the border from India to Bangladesh.
While one died on the spot after falling into a ditch on the border, others managed to escape to the Bangladesh side. The BDR soon opened fire on Indian troopers.
The BSF official said firing by BDR was a “common practice” along the border.
Similar incidents over cattle smuggling have occurred five times in recent months in the border area in Malda and South Dinajpur districts.
The BSF has sent a protest note to top BDR officials.
The BSF and BDR had also exchanged fire over cattle smuggling in Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts recently.