BSF jawan killed in BDR firing

Statesman News Service

MALDA, July 23: A BSF jawan died in Bangladesh Rifles firing at Mirik-Sultanpur under Kaliachak police station, Malda today. The victim was identified as Sudarshan Keji of the123 battalion. In addition to the BSF jawan, a civilian, Sunil Mandal alias Ashok was struck by a BDR bullet. He is fighting for his life at the Malda hospital.Trouble broke out about 5.20 am at Mirik Sultanpur when BDR opened fire ‘without any provocation’, said a senior BSF official. The exchange of fire continued for about three hours. While the BSF fired 15 rounds, the BDR allegedly fired over100 rounds. “The firing was unprovoked from the BDR,” said the Malda district magistrate Mr C R Das. “The BDR fired out of frustration after the recent Nimtita incident in Murhishidabad where two BDR personnel were shot dead and one BSF jawan was injured in exchange of bullets,” BSF officials said.Both the police and the BSF have denied any case of smuggling at dawn as cause of firing from the BDR. “I was shot at while going to work in the fields,” the injured farmer Sunil Mandal said. Tension prevails along the Indo Bangladesh border in Malda district after the incident and all border-out posts including Mahedipur in English Bazaar, have been alerted. Border guards from both sides are still keeping watch over each other's movement with weapons on the ready.The BSF at Mirik-Sultanpur has asked the villagers not to venture out of home today and restricted movement of civilians on the border road following tension in the Kaliachak border areas.