- Tensions rose after a West Bengal tea farmer was allegedly abducted near the India-Bangladesh border
- Dipankar Gope was taken by about 20 men and handed over to Bangladeshi Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)
- Gope’s family linked the abduction to BSF's arrest of a Bangladeshi intruder days earlier
Tensions have gripped the India-Bangladesh border area after a 35-year-old tea farmer from West Bengal's Jalpaiguri was allegedly abducted by Bangladeshi nationals in retaliation against the arrest of a Bangladeshi intruder by the Border Security Force (BSF) two days earlier. Dipankar Gope was tending to his tea garden in Tasar Para village -- located within 150 yards of the border fence of BSF's Chaulhati outpost -- when he was taken hostage by a group of about 20 men, according to his family.
The group then reportedly took Gope across the international border into Bangladesh's Panchagarh district and handed him over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The incident came after the BSF reportedly caught a Bangladeshi man last Thursday trying to enter India by cutting the barbed wire fence along the Chaulhati border. The man, believed to be linked to a cross-border smuggling network, was handed over to the police.
The Video
Gope's family has alleged that he was kidnapped in retaliation for that incident. A video has also emerged where Gope can be heard saying that he would be released from captivity if India releases Tamiz Uddin, the Bangladeshi intruder arrested by BSF.
BGB personnel can be seen standing alongside the villagers making the threat. NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
BSF Works To Seek Gope's Release
Meanwhile, Gope is believed to be in BGB's custody. Following the incident, BSF rushed in to secure his release and held a flag meeting with the BGB on Saturday evening. However, the farmer had not been released till Saturday night and was reportedly in BGB custody.
According to sources, BSF remains in regular contact with its Bangladeshi counterpart and has urged the BGB to ensure his immediate and safe return to India.
The incident sparked panic across nearby border villages, with locals expressing concerns that if ordinary citizens working near the border can be abducted in such a manner, it could raise serious questions about security in the area.
The incident has once again raised concerns over border security, with the BSF intensifying efforts to prevent smuggling and infiltration.
(With inputs from Roni Chawdhary)
