Cooch Behar: A 20-year-old man was shot dead by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at the Geetaldah border in Dinhata, near the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district. The deceased, identified as Jahanur Haque, was an Indian citizen and a resident of the same area.
His family insists that he was not involved in smuggling and had recently returned home from Bangalore.
According to BSF sources, the incident occurred on Thursday morning when a group of smugglers attempted to cross the border illegally. BSF personnel intervened, but the group allegedly attacked them with stones. In response, BSF fired in self-defense, resulting in the death of one individual, while the others fled.
However, Haque’s mother, Lili Bibi, refuted the smuggling allegations. She stated: “My son was not involved in smuggling. He works in Bangalore and came home a few days ago.” The incident has sparked criticism from political leaders. North Bengal Development minister Udayan Guha strongly condemned the BSF’s actions, stating: “BSF has become a source of fear for border residents. The deceased was working in another state and had returned home for Eid. If he was a smuggler, why would he be employed elsewhere? Moreover, BSF has not recovered any smuggled goods from him.”