Border Force Jawan Kidnapped By Bangladeshi Nationals, Released Later

A BSF trooper was allegedly kidnapped by Bangladeshi nationals and taken across the international border in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, before being released a few hours later, officials said on Wednesday. The incident took place in the early hours near Chandni Chowk, close to the Border Security Force camp in Sutiar, Nurpur in the district, they said.

The jawan was trying to prevent an infiltration bid from the Bangladesh side near Kathalia village, when he was captured by miscreants from Chapai Nawabganj district of Bangladesh, said BSF sources.

"He was abducted by Bangladeshi nationals and was held captive, but was released within a couple of hours after we flagged the issue with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The jawan is now with us and doing fine," a senior BSF official of the South Bengal Frontier told PTI.

The trooper was handed over to the Indian authorities after a flag meeting between the two border forces.

A viral video purportedly showed the jawan tied to a banana tree in a remote area across the border for nearly four hours.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Investigations are currently underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, the sources said.

The BSF is reviewing security protocols in the area, but has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)