The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday near the Changrabandha border post in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal

The BSF has lodged a "strong protest" with its Bangladesh counterpart BGB after smugglers from that country attacked an Indian patrol, which fired in self-defence leading to the death of two miscreants along the border, officials said on Monday.

The incident took place in the early hours (around 3.35 am) of Sunday near the Changrabandha border post in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

"The troops were encircled by 18-20 Bangladeshi smugglers while patrolling the border. The troops asked them to leave the area. However, they didn't pay heed and attacked the troops resulting in grievous injuries to the Border Security Force party."

"Sensing threat to life and left with no other option, the troops fired in self-defence," the North Bengal frontier of the force said in a statement.

It guards over 932 km of the total 4,096 km of the India-Bangladesh international border on the country's eastern flank and is headquartered at Kadamtala, Siliguri.

The statement said a search of the incident spot resulted in the recovery of bodies of two "Bangladeshi smugglers" about 100 metres "inside" the Indian territory.

"The BGB was informed and a strong protest was lodged regarding the incident," it said.

The Border Guard Bangladesh is BSF's counterpart along this frontier. PTI  

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 30th August, 2021