BSF men might have strayed by mistake

MANKACHAR (Assam), APRIL 22. Twenty BSF men who were attacked by Bangladesh Rifles personnel on Wednesday last, might have strayed into Bangladeshi territory by mistake, the BSF DIG, Mr. I. J. Singh, said today. ``Twenty BSF men had gone for patrolling at Boraibari as there was red alert because of the situation prevailing along the Dawki border in Meghalaya along Bangladesh,'' Mr. Singh told a group of visiting journalists.

He said the two jawans who had managed to escape from BDR custody had reported to the higher authorities that maybe they had strayed in the night into Bangladeshi territory when about 500 civilians surrounded them. ``BDR men in civil clothes waiting behind the civilians pounced on them shouting Dharo, Dharo (catch, catch) in Bengali and some of them fired also,'' he said.

The BSF party included one officer and two JCOs. The DIG, however, admitted that it was a blunder that the jawans had strayed into Bangladeshi territory.

Asked whether they apprehended further attacks, he said, ``after this, they (BDR) dare not.''

- PTI

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