Kolkata, June 11 A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was grievously injured in a violent attack by Bangladeshi miscreants close to the Sunder Border Outpost in West Bengal's Nadia district.
Constable Gokul Mondal could have opened fire and caused casualties among the Bangladeshis but didn't do so following the instructions to use only non-lethal weapons to curb cross-border crimes.
Mondal was brutally slashed with sickles on his neck and hip. Despite his injuries, Mondal stood fast till the Bangladeshis raced back across the border.
"The incident occurred on Monday night under the jurisdiction of the Dhantala police station, opposite the Border Guard Bangladesh's (BGB) Polianpur outpost. At around 10.45 p.m., Mondal spotted the movement of 6-7 miscreants in the depth area on the Indian side.
"On seeing this, he alerted the adjacent ambush-cum-patrolling parties to remain vigilant. At around 11.20 p.m., a BSF head constable saw 3-4 miscreants crossing the Indo-Bangladesh Border Road (IBBR) from the Bangladesh side after breaching the improvised fence. He challenged them and ordered them to turn back but they did not pay any heed and continued moving towards the Indian side.
"He again challenged them but this time the miscreants tried to encircle him with the intent to inflict injury. Seeing an imminent threat to life, the head constable, adhering to the usage of non-lethal weapons, fired a round from his Pump Action Gun (PAG). Bu the gun misfired. On hearing the challenge from the head constable, Mondal rushed to his help.
"He was about 20 metres ahead of the head constable and trying to chase away the Bangladeshi miscreants, who were already 450 metres inside the Indian territory. The Bangladeshi miscreants, finding the BSF jawan alone, attacked him using sharp-edge sickles.
"Seeing the situation deteriorating, the head constable tried to fire from his PAG again, but there was another misfire," said A.K. Arya, DIG and spokesperson, BSF, South Bengal Frontier.
As reinforcements arrived, the Bangladeshi miscreants took advantage of the darkness and thick undergrowth and ran back towards their side.
Mondal received grievous injuries on his lower hip, waist, and neck regions. He has been admitted to the hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.
Details about the attack have been shared with the BGB.
"This horrific attack took place deep inside the Indian territory. Bangladesh is a friendly country and the BSF has adopted a Non-Lethal Strategy to avoid casualties along the border. However, this policy seems to have emboldened the Bangladeshi miscreants who attack our jawans frequently.
"One of our personnel nearly lost his arm in one such attack while another was critically injured. Despite repeated protest notes to the BGB concerning illegal intrusions by Bangladeshi smugglers and miscreants, they continue to cross the international border deliberately and illegally after breaching the security grid of BGB, and attack our jawans," the DIG said.
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