Agartala: Three suspected Bangladeshi cattle lifters were killed in a violent clash with villagers in Tripura’s Khowai district on Wednesday, officials said.
Two local residents were also injured in the incident, which took place near the India-Bangladesh border.
According to police, two villagers from Bidyabil under Champahowar police station were working in a rubber plantation close to the international border when they spotted three Bangladeshi men hiding nearby.
When the villagers confronted them, the men allegedly attacked with sharp-edged weapons, leaving both locals injured.
The wounded villagers returned to their village and alerted others.
A group of residents then rushed to the site and, following a confrontation, captured the three intruders before allegedly hacking them to death.
Police and forensic teams later reached the scene, recovered the bodies, and sent them to Khowai district hospital for post-mortem.
The injured villagers are undergoing treatment at Behelabari government hospital. Senior officers have visited the area, and the situation is now under control.
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In a separate operation, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and Tripura Police seized a consignment of clothing worth Rs. 8 lakh in the Karamtila area of South Tripura district on Tuesday.
The BSF also foiled multiple smuggling attempts, rescuing cattle and seizing contraband worth Rs. 5 lakh intended for smuggling into Bangladesh.
Tripura shares an 856-km-long border with Bangladesh, much of which is fenced.
However, officials say certain stretches remain vulnerable to illegal infiltration, smuggling, and other cross-border crimes.