Heavy firing between BSF, BDR in Cachar

Silchar, Aug 10: At least two Indian villagers, both woman, were killed and as many injured in Cachar sector of Asom, when Bangladesh Rifles targeted Harinagar, Kinnokhal and Tokargram border outposts of BSF with mortar last night.

Heavy firing between BSF and BDF which started at 2215 hours last night continued well past night and after a brief lull in the early morning it started again today.

Those who were killed in BDR firing have been identified as Sabita Dey(45) and Santa Dey (22), residents of Kinnokhal bus stand near Bangladesh border. Another woman and a boy have been injured in the same area.

Report from the other side said an unspecified number of civilians were either killed or injured in the crossfire.

Giving this information, BSF's Cachar sector DIG Aswani Kumar Singh today said troops of 38 Bn BDR started unprovoked firing from Barathakoria and Kaziipara villages of Sylhet sector in Bangladesh yesterday first targeting Harinagar BOP with mortar and heavy machineguns. When the BSF retaliated, BDR targeted Kinnokhal and Tokargram outposts of BSF. The firing between the two sides has been continuing throughout the morning. Both sides used mortars and heavy machineguns and other sophisticated weapons.

Official sources from the 32-km long Indo-Bangladesh border in Cachar sector said people in Indian villages have been fleeing with their belongings to safer places.

BSF sources claimed that Bangladeshi villagers were trying to grab 220 acres of Indian land on the other side of Surma river. On June 1 last year BSF destroyed summer vegetable crops and dismantled bamboo structure raised by Bangladeshi farmers on the 200 acres of Indian land without any bloodshed.

However, on June 23 ,just after one year, BSF troops noticed that the Bangla villagers were busy cultivating paddy on the same land. BSF destroyed the cultivation and chased away the cultivators.

On June 28 BDR indulged in unprovoked firing targeting Harinagar and Kinnokhal posts of BSF in Cachar sector over the land. However, there was no causality. On July 5 a flag meeting was held between BSF and BDR at Harinagar, where BDR officials agreed not to 'instigate' Bangladeshi farmers to cultivate on the Indian land.

However, on July 23 Bangladeshi farmers again tilled the land with the help of power tillers and sowed paddy despite BSF warning.

Since than a warlike situation prevails along the international border with BSF and BDR increasing deployment on either side of the border. But Bangladeshi farmers have paying little heed to all warnings have sowed paddy on the Indian land over last week of July.

Villagers of Harinagar in Indian side said Bangladeshis backed by BDR had been cultivating the same area of Indian land for a long time given the geographical advantage with them. Although, Surma river divides the 32-km long international border in this part of the country, this 220 acres of Indian land falls on the other side of the river. The Indian villagers were not allowed to cultivate the land by their Bangladeshi counterparts.

UNI