Guwahati: Tensions flared along the Indo-Bangladesh international border in the Thakuranbari area of Mankachar on Tuesday morning, as an alleged confrontation between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Bangladeshi Border Guards (BGB) compelled the BSF to fire four warning shots into the air to disperse a swelling crowd and de-escalate a volatile situation.
The flashpoint occurred during a repatriation operation where Indian authorities were attempting to push back 14 Bangladeshi nationals who had reportedly entered Indian territory illegally. However, Bangladeshi forces allegedly intervened near the international border’s zero line, effectively obstructing the handover and igniting a heated exchange.
Official sources indicate that BGB personnel not only engaged in a heated verbal confrontation with their Indian counterparts but also crossed into the sensitive zero line area, a zone internationally designated to remain neutral. The situation further intensified rapidly as hundreds of Bangladeshi civilians converged at the zero line, vocally supporting the BGB’s intervention.
To prevent the escalation from spiralling into a full-blown clash, BSF troops resorted to firing aerial warning shots. This measure reportedly succeeded in diffusing the agitated crowd and restoring a semblance of calm to the frontier.
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