Tripura BSF attack: 18 arrested in Sepahijala as manhunt continues
Synopsis
A mob of roughly 50 people attacked BSF personnel intercepting cannabis smugglers near Tripura's Bangladesh border on 2 November — snatching a gun, injuring three personnel including a Company Commander, and sparking a manhunt that has now netted 18 arrests. Chief Minister Manik Saha chaired an emergency security review Thursday night, ordering zero tolerance on cross-border smuggling as the search for remaining accused continues.
Key Takeaways
18 people , including three women , have been arrested over the 2 November mob attack on BSF personnel at Ashabari village , Sepahijala district, Tripura.
The latest eight arrests were made across Sepahijala on Thursday night and early Friday morning .
Three BSF personnel, including a Company Commander , were grievously injured; a pump-action gun and a vehicle were seized or damaged by the mob.
All 18 accused face charges under the NDPS Act, 1985 , BNS, 2023 , and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 .
CM Manik Saha chaired a high-level security meeting Thursday night, directing zero tolerance on cross-border smuggling and strict legal action.
Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh and has a documented history of violent attacks on security personnel by smuggling networks.
Eighteen people, including three women, have been arrested in connection with the 2 November mob attack on Border Security Force (BSF) personnel at Ashabari village in Sepahijala district, Tripura, police officials said on Friday, 6 November 2026. The latest eight arrests were made across different parts of the district on Thursday night and early Friday morning, as a wide-ranging search operation remained underway to track down the remaining accused.
What Happened at Ashabari
According to police, BSF personnel intercepted a group of alleged smugglers attempting to move ganja (cannabis) across the India-Bangladesh international border on 2 November, near Ashabari village under Kalamchaura police station. The smugglers reportedly mobilised a mob of around 50 men and women, who surrounded and attacked the BSF personnel, leaving three personnel grievously injured — including a Company Commander. The attackers allegedly snatched a pump-action gun (PAG) from one of the personnel and damaged a BSF vehicle. One alleged attacker was also reportedly injured during the confrontation.
Legal Action Against the Accused
All 18 accused have been booked under multiple statutes: the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985; the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. The eight newly arrested persons are to be produced before a local court in Sepahijala district at the earliest, according to officials. The earlier batch of 10 accused was already produced in court — the male accused were remanded to police custody, while the women were sent to judicial custody.
CM Saha Chairs High-Level Security Review
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who had earlier strongly condemned the attack and ordered stringent action, chaired a high-level security meeting on Thursday night at the TIFT Conference Hall in Agartala. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the state administration, police, BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Assam Rifles. In a post on X, Saha said the Ashabari incident was specifically reviewed, with authorities directed to ensure strict legal proceedings, adopt zero tolerance towards cross-border smuggling, and reinforce security measures to maintain peace and law and order.
A Recurring Threat on Tripura's Border
The Ashabari attack is not an isolated episode. On 16 October 2017, a vehicle allegedly driven by smugglers ran over Deepak Kumar Mandal, Deputy Commandant of the BSF's 145th Battalion, at Balerdepha in the smuggling-prone Sonamura subdivision of Sepahijala district; Mandal succumbed to his injuries on 20 October 2017. On 21 November 2019, Tripura Police Sub-Inspector Durga Kumar Hrangkhawl was killed on duty after a vehicle allegedly operated by cross-border smuggling mafias deliberately ran him over in the same district. These incidents point to a pattern of organised, violent resistance by smuggling networks against security forces in the region.
Tripura's Vulnerable Geography
Tripura shares an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded by the neighbouring country on three sides, making it particularly susceptible to cross-border smuggling, illegal movement, and transnational crime. Except for a few stretches, most of the international border has been fenced to curb such activities, but enforcement on the ground remains challenging in densely wooded and remote terrain. The search operation launched after the 2 November attack is still ongoing, officials confirmed.
Point of View
A gun stolen, a vehicle damaged — this was not opportunistic aggression. The pattern of similar attacks in Sepahijala in 2017 and 2019, both fatal, suggests that fencing alone has not deterred the networks profiting from the Bangladesh border corridor. The real accountability question is whether CM Saha's high-level meeting produces lasting structural changes — reinforced patrolling, intelligence-sharing with BSF, and faster judicial processing of smuggling cases — or whether it remains a reactive show of resolve until the next incident.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the BSF attack in Tripura on 2 November?
BSF personnel intercepting alleged cannabis smugglers near Ashabari village in Sepahijala district were surrounded and attacked by a mob of around 50 people on 2 November. Three personnel, including a Company Commander, were grievously injured; a pump-action gun was snatched and a BSF vehicle was damaged.
How many people have been arrested so far in the Tripura BSF attack case?
A total of 18 people, including three women, have been arrested as of 6 November. Eight more accused were detained on Thursday night and early Friday morning, adding to the initial 10 arrests made shortly after the incident.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
All 18 accused have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. The male accused from the first batch were remanded to police custody, while the women were sent to judicial custody.
What action has Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha taken?
CM Manik Saha chaired a high-level security meeting on Thursday night at the TIFT Conference Hall in Agartala, attended by senior officials from the state administration, police, BSF, CRPF, and Assam Rifles. He directed authorities to ensure strict legal action, adopt zero tolerance towards cross-border smuggling, and strengthen security measures.
Is this the first such attack on security forces near Tripura's Bangladesh border?
No. BSF Deputy Commandant Deepak Kumar Mandal was fatally run over by a vehicle allegedly driven by smugglers in Sepahijala's Sonamura subdivision in October 2017, and Tripura Police Sub-Inspector Durga Kumar Hrangkhawl was killed under similar circumstances in November 2019. The pattern points to organised smuggling networks in the district that have repeatedly targeted security personnel.
