Gunfight at the border

Although details are yet to be fully available, there are two versions on the incident which might be inter-related. First, according to BDR and witness accounts, some local Indians along with BSF jawans entered a village on our side and carried out repression on the villagers with looting accompanying. These having been brought to the notice of BDR, the latter requested them to leave whereupon the BSF suddenly opened fire at the BDR resulting in counter-fire by the latter.

Information from another source have it that a smuggler from the Indian side got picked up by the BDR on the ground that he had infiltrated into our territory via Kuripaika frontier of Hirapur. BSF apparently on a chase then intruded into a village home allegedly in a bid to abduct a woman and a child. At one stage, BDR arrived at the spot and BSF suddenly opened fire at the BDR causing counter-fire from the latter.

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From the whole account it appears that the BSF intruded into our territory. The thing is if there was any point to be made by them about the smuggler assuming that it was the bone of contention, then a flag meeting could be held on request by the BSF to resolve the matter amicably without allowing it to snowball the way it did. There is mechanism in place for on-the-spot resolution of any such dispute.

One would have thought that with the continuing rounds of border talks at the highest professional level between the two countries, Saturday's killing incident would have been avoided to maintain a congenial atmosphere for a meaningful furtherance of the dialogue, the next round of which is scheduled to be held in Delhi.