India on Tuesday regretted the recent deaths of three Bangladesh nationals in the incidents of firing by the BSF along the border.
New Delhi, however, maintained that the BSF personnel had opened fire in self-defence after being attacked by the miscreants on the Indian side of the border at Govindpur in Malda district and at Narayanganj in Coochbehar district of West Bengal.
In the wake of the latest deaths along the Kurigram-Dinajpur border, the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian government issued a statement.
The Indian government said that its policy of restraint along its border with Bangladesh 'emboldened' the criminal elements, who of late stepped up attacks on the personnel of its Border Security Force.
New Delhi also called upon Dhaka to do its bit in curbing illegal activities and restrict movement of people along the border, especially during night hours.
The BSF too issued a statement alleging that its soldiers were coming under increasing attacks by cattle smugglers and other border criminals after they started exercising self restraint in use of lethal weapons.
"The BSF has issued instructions to continue this restraint but not to hesitate in use of appropriate force in life threatening situations, in exercising their legal right of self defence," read the statement issued by the paramilitary force of India.
The external affairs ministry in its statement said: "The Government of India regrets all incidents of deaths on the border, of Indian and Bangladesh nationals. To prevent loss of lives along the border areas, the BSF has exercised the utmost restraint and has resorted to firing in self defence only in rare cases.
The Government of India has taken various steps, including strict control on firing, introduction of non-lethal weapons, round-the-clock domination and intensive patrolling. It has also imposed night time restrictions on the movement of people in the border areas."
"Unfortunately," it added, "this policy of restraint has emboldened criminal elements who have stepped up their attacks on BSF personnel deployed along the border in order to facilitate their illegal activities. A number of attacks have been recorded on BSF personnel and posts along the India-Bangladesh border over the last few months.
A spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs narrated New Delhi's version of the two separate incidents along border in Kurigram and Dinajpur (Malda and Coochbehar in India) in the night/early hours of Dec 16 and 17.
He said that a group of around 50-60 miscreants involved in illegal activity along the border in Malda not only pelted stones when challenged by the BSF soldier, who was on duty at his post, but also tried to drag him towards the Bangladesh side of the border.
"Sensing imminent danger to his life, his two colleagues fired four rounds in all resulting in the miscreants fleeing the scene, leaving the BSF soldier behind."
According to the Indian government's spokesman, in the other incident at Coochbehar, around 30-40 miscreants involved in illegal activity attacked a BSF soldier with bamboo sticks and sharp-edged weapons, when he challenged them.
"Sensing imminent danger to his life, the BSF jawan first hurled a non-lethal stun grenade and then as a last resort opened fire at the armed miscreants in self-defence."
New Delhi claimed that both incidents had taken place 200 to 250 metres from the international boundary inside Indian territory. "A BSF soldier was injured in the incident and is currently in hospital undergoing treatment. The BSF has ordered an enquiry into these incidents," read the statement.
New Delhi stressed that the Coordinated Border Management Plan, signed by India and Bangladesh in July 2011, envisaged joint responsibility of both the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh to synergise their efforts to ensure effective control over cross-border illegal activities and crimes as well as for the maintenance of peace and harmony along the border.
"It is the view of the Government of India that illegal activities, which sometimes lead to regrettable loss of lives on both sides along the border, need to be addressed through joint collaborative efforts and mechanisms. The Government of Bangladesh has been urged to take measures to restrict the movement of people along the border, especially during night hours," it said.
"The Government of India proposes to continue to work closely with the Government of Bangladesh to maintain peace and harmony along the border," it added.
The BSF too in its statement requested the BGB for more co-operation in preventing movement of miscreants particularly cattle smugglers across the Bangladesh during night hours.
New Delhi, however, maintained that the BSF personnel had opened fire in self-defence after being attacked by the miscreants on the Indian side of the border at Govindpur in Malda district and at Narayanganj in Coochbehar district of West Bengal.
In the wake of the latest deaths along the Kurigram-Dinajpur border, the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian government issued a statement.
The Indian government said that its policy of restraint along its border with Bangladesh 'emboldened' the criminal elements, who of late stepped up attacks on the personnel of its Border Security Force.
New Delhi also called upon Dhaka to do its bit in curbing illegal activities and restrict movement of people along the border, especially during night hours.
The BSF too issued a statement alleging that its soldiers were coming under increasing attacks by cattle smugglers and other border criminals after they started exercising self restraint in use of lethal weapons.
"The BSF has issued instructions to continue this restraint but not to hesitate in use of appropriate force in life threatening situations, in exercising their legal right of self defence," read the statement issued by the paramilitary force of India.
The external affairs ministry in its statement said: "The Government of India regrets all incidents of deaths on the border, of Indian and Bangladesh nationals. To prevent loss of lives along the border areas, the BSF has exercised the utmost restraint and has resorted to firing in self defence only in rare cases.
The Government of India has taken various steps, including strict control on firing, introduction of non-lethal weapons, round-the-clock domination and intensive patrolling. It has also imposed night time restrictions on the movement of people in the border areas."
"Unfortunately," it added, "this policy of restraint has emboldened criminal elements who have stepped up their attacks on BSF personnel deployed along the border in order to facilitate their illegal activities. A number of attacks have been recorded on BSF personnel and posts along the India-Bangladesh border over the last few months.
A spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs narrated New Delhi's version of the two separate incidents along border in Kurigram and Dinajpur (Malda and Coochbehar in India) in the night/early hours of Dec 16 and 17.
He said that a group of around 50-60 miscreants involved in illegal activity along the border in Malda not only pelted stones when challenged by the BSF soldier, who was on duty at his post, but also tried to drag him towards the Bangladesh side of the border.
"Sensing imminent danger to his life, his two colleagues fired four rounds in all resulting in the miscreants fleeing the scene, leaving the BSF soldier behind."
According to the Indian government's spokesman, in the other incident at Coochbehar, around 30-40 miscreants involved in illegal activity attacked a BSF soldier with bamboo sticks and sharp-edged weapons, when he challenged them.
"Sensing imminent danger to his life, the BSF jawan first hurled a non-lethal stun grenade and then as a last resort opened fire at the armed miscreants in self-defence."
New Delhi claimed that both incidents had taken place 200 to 250 metres from the international boundary inside Indian territory. "A BSF soldier was injured in the incident and is currently in hospital undergoing treatment. The BSF has ordered an enquiry into these incidents," read the statement.
New Delhi stressed that the Coordinated Border Management Plan, signed by India and Bangladesh in July 2011, envisaged joint responsibility of both the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh to synergise their efforts to ensure effective control over cross-border illegal activities and crimes as well as for the maintenance of peace and harmony along the border.
"It is the view of the Government of India that illegal activities, which sometimes lead to regrettable loss of lives on both sides along the border, need to be addressed through joint collaborative efforts and mechanisms. The Government of Bangladesh has been urged to take measures to restrict the movement of people along the border, especially during night hours," it said.
"The Government of India proposes to continue to work closely with the Government of Bangladesh to maintain peace and harmony along the border," it added.
The BSF too in its statement requested the BGB for more co-operation in preventing movement of miscreants particularly cattle smugglers across the Bangladesh during night hours.
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