Cattle clash turns deadly near Bangladesh border
India Blames Smugglers, Bangladesh Cries Foul over Killings
New Delhi/Dhaka/Agartala: The deaths of three Bangladeshi nationals in Tripura’s Khowai district on October 15 have triggered a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Dhaka, prompting India to issue a strong response that squarely blamed cross-border infiltration and criminal activity for the violence.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Friday confirmed that the incident took place about three kilometres inside Indian territory near Bidyabil village. Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “A group of three miscreants from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers.”
Authorities reached the scene soon after the violence. Two of the alleged smugglers were found dead on the spot, while the third succumbed to injuries in the hospital the next day. Tripura Police and the Border Security Force conducted a preliminary probe, while local authorities in Khowai said a police case has been registered. The victims—identified as Pandit Mia (45), Jewel Mia (32), and Sajal Mia (20), all from Chunarughat in Habiganj district—were reportedly confronted by locals after being spotted moving cattle toward the border. Their bodies were later handed over to Bangladesh through formal border protocols.
Jaiswal said the incident “underscores the need for Bangladesh to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the international boundary and support construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.” He added that repeated cases of infiltration, cattle theft, and attacks on villagers along the border have become a matter of concern, requiring stronger coordination and preventive action.
Recent years have seen multiple verified cases of cross-border cattle theft that India cites as part of this ongoing challenge. In Assam, over 12,000 cattle were recovered and more than 300 smugglers arrested in 2024 alone. West Bengal uncovered a large network transporting cattle from other Indian states to Bangladesh in 2023, often via river routes. Uttar Pradesh saw six cattle smugglers arrested in 2023 while attempting to move animals toward Jharkhand for onward transit. In Bihar, a wanted cattle smuggler was apprehended in 2023 for illegally transporting cows for slaughter. Earlier, a 2022 West Bengal smuggling racket involving thousands of cattle to Bangladesh exposed the involvement of organised networks, including complicit personnel. These cases highlight the repeated nature of cattle theft and smuggling incidents along the border.
In Dhaka, the Government of Bangladesh strongly condemned the Tripura killings, describing them as “brutal,” “heinous,” and “a grave violation of human rights.” Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded an “impartial and transparent investigation” by Indian authorities, saying the perpetrators must be “identified and brought to justice.” The statement emphasised that “no individual, regardless of nationality, should be deprived of life without due process of law.” Bangladesh also called for “sincere efforts to stop recurrence of such inhumane acts” and reaffirmed that its government remains committed to preventing border crimes through cooperation between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF).
Local officials in Tripura’s Karengichhara area said the incident began late at night when two plantation workers spotted movement near a rubber plantation and raised an alarm. Villagers then confronted the intruders, leading to a violent clash. The BSF later recovered the bodies and handed them over to the BGB at the Kedaraghat checkpoint following formal identification procedures.
Both countries have since exchanged diplomatic communications over the matter. While India maintains that the killings occurred deep inside its territory during a violent criminal act, Bangladesh insists that border fatalities—whatever the circumstances—must be addressed through restraint, accountability, and stronger joint border management.
Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, much of it fenced, but smuggling and infiltration attempts continue to strain relations along the frontier. Verified cases in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh illustrate that cattle theft and smuggling remain recurring challenges. The incident underscores the ongoing need for stronger fencing, border surveillance, and bilateral cooperation to prevent violence and loss of life along the 4,000-kilometre India–Bangladesh frontier.
– global bihari bureau
