MEA spokesman tells Dhaka to undertake measures to uphold sanctity of Int’l boundary

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – Ministry of External Affairs SPOKESMAN Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said the incident underscored the need for Dhaka to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the international boundary, as he reacted to an October 15 incident in Tripura that led to the death of 3 Bangladeshi smugglers inside the Indian territory.

“A group of three miscreants from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries on an incident involved Bangladesh nationals in Tripura.

He said authorities rushed to the spot, where two smugglers were found dead while the third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day.

The bodies have been handed over to the Bangladesh side. Police have also registered a case, the MEA spokesperson said.

“This incident underscores the need for Bangladesh to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary and support the construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling,” Jaiswal added.