BSF trooper killed in firing by Border Guards Bangladesh  

A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was killed and another injured on Thursday after Border Guards Bangladesh fired on them at a flag meeting at Kakmarichar along the riverine international border in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.

The incident sent an alarm bell in the security forces and intelligence agencies as the BSF and the BGB have not exchanged single bullet for decades.

According to the BSF, head constable Vijay Bhan Singh was killed after the team came under fire while returning from the flag meeting in the water channel near Boundary Pillar 75/7-S while another was injured. The flag meeting was held to secure the release of an Indian fisherman apprehended by the BGB earlier in the day.

Following the incident, the BSF has apprised the Union Home Ministry about the incident and senior BGB officials have been contacted.

Giving details, a BSF officials said: "On Thursday morning, three Indian fishermen went for fishing in River Padma in the border area. Later two fishermen returned and approached BSF outpost Kakmarichar that BGB haf apprehended them and later released two of them to call the BSF post commander for a flag meeting."

Around 10.30 a.m., the post Commander, along with five troopers in the BSF boat, approached BGB patrol in the water channel of River Padma near the boundary pillar, he said, adding that the BGB patrol did not release Indian fisherman and also tried to "cordon" off the BSF team.

"Sensing the situation was worsening, the BSF party immediately returned. BGB troops then opened fire on the returning BSF party," the official said, adding that the head constable was hit on the head and fatally wounded while a constable/crew (boatman) was injured and has been taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in Behrampore for treatment.