Agartala, November 24 — A young man suspected of involvement in cross-border smuggling sustained a bullet injury after Border Security Force (BSF) personnel allegedly opened fire to prevent an illegal smuggling attempt along the Indo-Bangladesh border at Brajendranagar in North Tripura on Monday.
The injured youth, identified as 25-year-old Akash Das, is reportedly a Bangladeshi national who had been living illegally in Ward No. 2 under Agnipassa Gram Panchayat in North Tripura, according to a senior BSF officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to initial reports, Akash was cutting the barbed-wire fencing to smuggle goods into Bangladesh when personnel of the BSF’s 97th Battalion, C Company, noticed suspicious activity near border fencing pillars 138–139, close to Gate No. 10. When confronted, tensions escalated, prompting the BSF to fire a warning shot, which allegedly struck Akash in the abdomen.
He was immediately transported to Dharmanagar District Hospital, where attending doctor Shaolima Ghose confirmed he had sustained a bullet injury and was bleeding heavily. “BSF personnel brought in the injured patient, Akash Das, 25. We administered urgent treatment, including blood transfusion and antibiotics. A surgeon was called to further assess his condition,” she said.
Dr. Ghose further noted that it remains uncertain whether the bullet is lodged inside Akash’s abdomen. “We will only know after surgical exploration,” she added.
Following preliminary treatment, Akash was referred to AGMC & GBP Hospital in Agartala for advanced medical care after consultations with the surgical team.
The incident sparked brief tension in the border locality, though authorities later confirmed that the situation has been stabilized. Both the BSF and the local police have launched separate investigations into the alleged smuggling activity and the circumstances leading to the firing.
