Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A 35-year-old tea farmer from West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district was allegedly abducted by a group of Bangladeshi miscreants from a tea garden near the India-Bangladesh border on Saturday.
The incident took place in the Kukurjan area of Rajganj block, close to the Bangladesh border. The victim, identified as Dipankar Gope, is a resident of Tasar Para in Chaulhati border village. His family has alleged that the abduction was carried out in retaliation after an alleged cross-border infiltration attempt was foiled earlier this week.
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According to local sources, on August 6, a Bangladeshi national allegedly attempted to enter India by cutting through the barbed wire fence along the Chaulhati border.
Alert villagers, along with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, caught the man and handed him over to the police. Locals suspect the individual was linked to a cross-border smuggling network.
On Saturday morning, Gope had gone to spray pesticides in his six-bigha tea garden, located beyond the border fencing.
While he was working alone, around 20 alleged Bangladeshi miscreants reportedly crossed the international border, overpowered him after a brief struggle, and forcibly took him into Bangladesh’s Panchagarh district.
BSF ATTEMPTS NEGOTIATION BUT IN VAIN
The incident sparked panic across nearby border villages, with residents expressing concerns over the safety of people who regularly work in fields and tea gardens located close to the international boundary.
Following the alleged abduction, BSF personnel rushed to the spot and initiated efforts to secure Gope’s release. Officials also held a flag meeting with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
However, the farmer had not been released till Saturday night and was reportedly in BGB custody.
Meanwhile, a video purportedly showing Gope has surfaced on social media, in which he allegedly says he would only be released if the Bangladeshi national arrested by Indian authorities is freed.
The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.
Gope’s father appealed for his son’s safe return, alleging that the abduction was an act of revenge linked to the recent arrest at the border.
The BSF remains in constant contact with Bangladeshi authorities to secure the farmer’s safe release, while investigations are underway to determine the circumstances behind the incident and examine the possible involvement of organised cross-border smuggling groups.
– Ends
With inputs from Rajen Pradhan
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
