BSF personnel patrol along the India-Bangladesh border at Srimantapur village in Agartala. File | Photo credit: PTI
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday (Oct 17, 2025) that the three Bangladeshi nationals who died in Tripura early Wednesday morning (Oct 15, 2025) crossed the international border with a plan to smuggle cattle and attacked local people who “resisted” the intruders. India’s response to the violence came after Bangladesh strongly condemned the killings, which they said were the result of a “mob attack”.
“Authorities rushed to the spot where two smugglers were found dead; the third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the next day. The mortal remains of all three were handed over to the Bangladeshi side. Police have also registered a case,” MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Our response to media inquiries regarding the incident involving Bangladeshi nationals in Tripura⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/NSIrUFTFnxpic.twitter.com/Av1YygnvGY
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEEAIndia) October 17, 2025
Mr Jaiswal said the incident took place nearly 3 km inside Indian territory, in Bidyabil village in North Tripura. He said the smugglers attacked and injured local villagers with iron daos (machetes) and knives, killing one villager even as other villagers arrived and fought back against the attackers.
Mr Jaiswal said the incident highlighted the need for Bangladesh to “take necessary measures to preserve the sanctity of the international border and to encourage the construction of fencing where necessary to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling”.
Bangladesh’s foreign ministry condemned the incident, saying: “This heinous act is unacceptable and constitutes a serious violation of human rights and the rule of law. The Bangladeshi government described the episode as a ‘regrettable incident’ and called for an ‘immediate, impartial and transparent investigation’.”
Deaths of alleged cattle smugglers along the India-Bangladesh border continue to be a major problem that has not abated despite the two sides ratifying the country’s 2015 border agreement.
Dainik Sambad, a newspaper in Tripura, said that in recent weeks, there has been an increase in encroachment by Bangladesh in the Bidyabil area and the issue is being discussed between the Indian Border Security Force and the Bangladeshi Border Guard.
Published – 17 October 2025 22:19 IST
