Tripura police arrest nine for assaulting BSF personnel in Sonamura
The arrests follow an incident where three Border Security Force members were hit with lathis and had their weapons snatched.
Tripura police have arrested at least nine people, including three women, for assaulting three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in the Sonamura subdivision of Sepahijala district, according to News18.
The assault, which was captured on camera, involved personnel including an Assistant Commandant rank officer being hit with lathis and having their weapons snatched. The incident occurred during an attempt to thwart smuggling.
A BSF officer told News18 that personnel noticed a parcel being thrown across the fence and caught it on camera. When they took a local suspect into custody, villagers allegedly attacked the vehicle carrying the company commander, a driver, and a guard to free the suspect.
Locals alleged that Hefazur Rehman, who was detained by the 49th Battalion of BSF for aiding contraband smuggling, was badly beaten and suffered a fracture. This led to villagers setting up a blockade.
A BSF official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a 50-60 kilometre stretch from Kamlasagar to Belonia is notorious and that smuggling thrives due to challenges in identifying individuals after sundown.
Regarding the use of force, former BSF DG Nitin Agarwal told News18 that the SOP allows for self-defence with the only limitation being proportional use of force. He noted that the risk of fatality often leads to a rethink before opening fire.