Indian killed in drug peddlers' clash on Dinajpur border

An Indian has been killed in a clash between drug smugglers of Bangladesh and India on the Jamalpur border at Birampur upazila in Dinajpur.

Three more people -- an Indian and two Bangladeshis -- were also injured in the clash on Friday afternoon.

The deceased is Alim Mandal, 40, a resident of Jamalpur village in India’s Dakshin Dinajpur. Injured Asharul Mandal of the same village was admitted to Balurghat Hospital.

Two Bangladeshis -- Moinul Islam, 35, Ward 2 member of Katla Union Parishad, and his elder brother Mominul Islam, 45 -- is undergoing treatment at Birampur Upazila Health Complex.

Locals said Manik, a resident of Dakshin Daudpur village in Birampur, had an argument on Thursday afternoon with Alim Mandal over the drug business money that Alim owed to Manik.

On Friday, another altercation between them took place again when they went to offer Jumma prayers at a mosque built inside the Bangladeshi territory near the zero line of the border.

At one stage, their followers engaged in a clash in the area with local weapons, leaving Alim dead on the spot and three others injured.

Following the incident, a flag meeting between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) was held.

Joypurhat BGB Battalion 20 Deputy Commanding Officer Major Abu Nayeem Khandaker said both the border forces decided that they would make lists of perpetrators who were involved in the clash and bring them to book.

Residents of both the countries have been asked to remain calm, he added.