Villagers ‘resisted’ smugglers from Bangladesh, says India after Dhaka condemns death of Bangladesh citizens in Tripura

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday (October 17, 2025) said the three citizens of Bangladesh who died early Wednesday morning (October 15, 2025) in Tripura had crossed the international border with a plan to smuggle cattle and had attacked the local people who “resisted” the intruders. The Indian response on the violence came after Bangladesh issued a strong condemnation of the killings that they said was the result of a “mob attack”.

“Authorities rushed to the spot, where two smugglers were found dead; a third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day. The mortal remains of all three have been handed over to the Bangladesh side. Police have also registered a case,” said Official Spokesperson of the MEA Randhir Jaiswal.

Mr. Jaiswal said the incident took place nearly 3 km inside Indian territory, in Bidyabil village in northern Tripura. He said the smugglers attacked and injured local villagers with iron daos (machettes) and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers.

Mr. Jaiswal said the incident highlights the need for Bangladesh to “undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the international border and support the construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.”

The Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh had condemned the incident and said, “This heinous act is unacceptable and a grave violation of human rights and the rule of law.” The Bangladesh government described the episode as a “deplorable incident” and called for an “immediate, impartial and transparent investigation”.

The deaths of alleged cattle smugglers along the India-Bangladesh border continues to remain a major issue that has not reduced despite the two sides ratifying the Land Boundary Agreement of 2015.

Dainik Sambad, a newspaper in Tripura, has reported that intrusion from the side of Bangladesh has increased in Bidyabil area in recent weeks and the matter is being discussed between the Border Security Force of India and the Border Guards of Bangladesh.