Allegations of kidnapping of elderly man at border, locals detain Indian national

There have been allegations that the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has kidnapped a 78-year-old Bangladeshi man from the Birajot border in Sadar upazila of Panchagarh. Following this incident, locals detained an Indian national named Dipankar Gop (35) in the border area of ​​Bangladesh.

The incident took place at around 10 am on Saturday (August 8) in the sub-pillar area of ​​Main Pillar 742 of the Birajot border in Satmera union of the upazila. Locals claim that Indian national Dipankar Gop was detained by locals when he entered a field in Bangladesh adjacent to the border. Later, he was taken into the custody of BGB, police and locals.

The arrested Dipankar Gop is said to be the son of Mishrilal Gop of Chaulhati Tashanpara area of ​​Rajganj police station in Jalpaiguri district, India.

Allegations of old man being caught while looking for cows

According to locals, Tamiz Uddin went to look for a lost cow in the Birajot border area under the Amarkhana camp of the 56th BGB battalion in Nilphamari on Wednesday morning. At one point, he went near the barbed wire of the border and was allegedly caught by members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Chaulhati camp.

Locals said that Tamiz Uddin is an elderly man. He is hard of hearing and cannot walk properly. The family claims that he was caught after he inadvertently went near the border while looking for cows.

Tamiz Uddin's son Azahar Ali said, "My father did nothing. He went to look for cows. My father is old, has poor hearing and cannot walk properly. I don't know how or what happened. We want to get my father back.’

He also said, ‘If my father is not returned, then the Indian citizen should not be returned either. If my father is returned, we will give that person back.’

Flag meeting held

A flag meeting was held at the company commander level of BGB and BSF on Saturday afternoon in this incident.

At the meeting, it was informed by the BSF that Bangladeshi citizen Tamiz Uddin has been handed over to the court. At that time, when the BGB asked to see the necessary documents as evidence, the BSF said that the relevant documents will be shown if their citizen is returned.

Lieutenant Colonel Taifur Hasan Mahmud, commander of the 56th BGB battalion in Nilphamari, said, ‘The locals did not inform us about the capture of a Bangladeshi citizen on the border. However, when an Indian citizen was brought, the BSF informed us about the matter.’

It is known that communication between the BGB and BSF is ongoing regarding the incident.