Agartala, Aug 18 (TIWN): The incident took place around 7.30 this morning in Balerdhepa under Dhanpur in Sepahijala district, around 80 km southwest from here and opposite Comilla.

“Our boys noticed some suspicious movement on the border and chased the smugglers. To avoid killing, they fired in the air but two of our troopers were overpowered by the numerically superior smugglers and dragged into Bangladesh territory,” said senior BSF official speaking to bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity.

“We had immediately informed the BGB  and are in regular contact with their top officials. We are expecting the return of our troopers and are preparing for a flag meeting ,” the BSF official said.

The two troopers belong to 14 BSF battalion and are on ad-hoc duty as a new battalion is taking responsibility of the area.

Locals say some cattle smuggling was going on from Tripura to Bangladesh through an unfenced area and when the BSF troopers tried to stop it ,  they were attacked by a big group of smugglers.

The two troopers are said to be Comilla army hospital, unofficial sources across the border said.

BSF units have been alerted across Tripura that has 857 km border with Bangladesh , a large part of which has been fenced.