BSF jawan attacked by intruders from Bangladesh, battles for life

KOLKATA: A BSF head constable was attacked with sharp weapons Monday night by a group from Bangladesh who had crossed into Indian territory breaching an improvised fence on the border at Dhantala in the Nadia district of Bengal. Gokul Mondal sustained serious injuries to his hip, waist, and neck and is battling for life.
Due to BSF’s non-lethal strategy policy, Mondal tried to fire his pump action gun (PAG) in self-defence when he was surrounded but it misfired, emboldening the criminals to attack him.
In a strongly worded statement, BSF said, “This horrific incident of attack on a BSF jawan took place inside Indian territory. Bangladesh is a friendly country and BSF has adopted non-lethal strategy to avoid killing on the border. However, Bangladesh miscreants get emboldened with the adoption of non-lethal strategy and very frequently attack BSF persons on duty.”
“Despite repeated protest notes to Border Guards Bangladesh concerning illegal intrusions by smugglers and miscreants, they continue to cross the border deliberately and illegally after breaching the security grid of BGB and attack BSF jawans,” it added.
BSF and BGB later held a flag meeting where the attack was raised by the former. Around 10.45pm, Mondal spotted 6-7 intruders and alerted nearby patrol parties. Half an hour later, another jawan spotted four persons crossing the border. On being ordered to retreat, they tried to encircle the constable and attempted to attack him. The constable discharged his PAG, but it misfired. Hearing the shot, Mondal rushed to his colleague’s aid and started chasing the miscreants, but they assaulted him and fled towards Bangladesh.