Tripura Police have put the Border Security Force (BSF) on heightened alert along the India-Bangladesh international border to prevent the nine remaining accused — allegedly involved in a mob attack that left two jawans and a Company Commander critically injured — from escaping to Bangladesh, officials said on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The assault, which took place on Monday night in the Ashabari area of Sepahijala district, has sharply raised tensions along one of India's most smuggling-prone border stretches.

What Happened on Monday Night

According to officials, BSF personnel on patrol spotted Indian and Bangladeshi smugglers allegedly engaged in the illegal cross-border trade of ganja (marijuana) along the international border fence. The jawans apprehended one Indian smuggler, while Bangladeshi smugglers on the other side of the fence fled. The detained Indian smuggler subsequently managed to escape and allegedly informed nearby villagers that he had been assaulted by BSF personnel.

What followed was swift and violent. Around 50 men and women converged on the spot, surrounded the BSF vehicle, and attacked the personnel. Three BSF personnel — including the Company Commander — sustained grievous injuries and were taken to a government hospital for treatment. The mob also allegedly snatched a Pump Action Gun (PAG) from one of the jawans and damaged a BSF vehicle. One attacker was also reportedly injured in the incident.

Arrests and Ongoing Manhunt

The FIR lodged by the BSF names 19 attackers. As of Wednesday, 10 accused — including three women — have been arrested. An intensive search operation launched immediately after the attack remains underway for the remaining nine suspects. 'The accused might cross the international border and take shelter in adjoining Bangladesh to evade arrest. We have also alerted the BSF to keep a close watch and prevent any unauthorised cross-border movement,' a senior Tripura Police official said.

Inspector General of BSF, Tripura Frontier, Princee Rani, and Sepahijala District Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma visited the Ashabari border area on Tuesday. The BSF IG subsequently held a meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and briefed him on the incident. She also directed troops to follow border-guarding protocols with extra vigilance.

Area Domination and BSF's Statement

Tension continued to prevail in the area on Wednesday. The BSF, Tripura State Rifles, and police jointly conducted a foot march as part of an area-domination exercise to maintain law and order. In an official statement, the BSF said the force remained 'resolute in its commitment to safeguarding the India-Bangladesh border and preventing trans-border smuggling and other unlawful activities.'

The force also issued a firm warning: 'Any attempt to intimidate or obstruct BSF personnel in the discharge of their lawful duties will be dealt with firmly.' Notably, the BSF highlighted that despite being attacked, its personnel 'exercised exemplary restraint and refrained from resorting to lethal force.'

A Pattern of Violence Against Security Forces

This is not the first time security personnel have been targeted in Sepahijala's smuggling-prone corridors. On 16 October 2017, Deputy Commandant Deepak Kumar Mandal of the 145th Battalion BSF was run over by a vehicle driven by smugglers at Balerdepha in the Sonamura subdivision; he succumbed to his injuries on 20 October 2017. On 21 November 2019, Sub-Inspector Durga Kumar Hrangkhawl of the Tripura Police was killed after being deliberately run over by a vehicle allegedly operated by cross-border smuggling networks in the same district.

Tripura shares an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded by the neighbouring country on three sides, making it acutely vulnerable to cross-border migration, illegal trade, and transnational crime. While most of the frontier has been fenced, a few stretches remain porous — a persistent vulnerability that organised smuggling networks have repeatedly exploited.