New Delhi: India on Friday (October 17) rejected Dhaka’s protest over the death of three Bangladeshi nationals in Tripura, saying the incident involved “Bangladeshi smugglers” who had crossed into Indian territory and attacked local villagers before being killed in a clash.

“We have noted that an incident in Tripura leading to the death of three Bangladesh smugglers took place on October 15, 2025, about 3 km inside Indian territory,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.

He claimed that a group of three men from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. “They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dhas and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers,” said Jaiswal.

According to the MEA, authorities rushed to the scene, where two of the Bangladeshi nationals were found dead, while a third “succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day.” Their bodies have since been handed over to Bangladesh after completing necessary formalities, and police have registered a case.

“This incident underscores the need for Bangladesh to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary and support the construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling,” the spokesperson said.

'Brutal beating and killing'

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement condemning what it called the “brutal beating and killing” of three Bangladeshi citizens by a mob in Tripura. 

Dhaka described the act as a “heinous and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law,” and urged India to conduct “an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation” into the incident.

“The perpetrators must be identified and brought to justice,” the statement said, adding that all individuals, “irrespective of their nationality, are entitled to the full protection of their human rights, regardless of which side of the border they may inadvertently find themselves in.”

According to police accounts cited by EastMojo, the incident occurred in Bidyabil village in Tripura’s Khowai district, about 700 metres from the Bangladesh border. 

Police said that three men – identified as Juel Miah, Sajal Miah, and Pandit Miah –  all residents of Habiganj district in Bangladesh, allegedly crossed into India in the early hours of Wednesday to steal cattle.

“Locals noticed their movement and subsequently chased and surrounded them in a nearby forested area. When the locals confronted the intruders, the latter, armed with sharp weapons, launched an attack which triggered retaliation from the villagers. In the ensuing clash, all three Bangladeshi nationals were killed,” a senior police officer told EastMojo.

Two Indian villagers, identified as Dhirendra Telenga and Mithun Telenga, were injured during the altercation. 

A police team from the Champahour police station, led by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer, reached the scene shortly after the incident. Coordination between Indian and Bangladeshi border authorities helped establish the identities of the deceased. 

Officials of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) held two rounds of flag meetings before confirming the nationality of the three men, East Mojo reported.

Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, of which about 98% is fenced. As per an NDTV report, much of this fencing, however, is old and damaged in parts due to heavy monsoon rains and dense vegetation that make upkeep difficult. In several stretches, particularly in Khowai and Sepahijala districts, the fence runs as far as 150 yards from the zero-line, leaving small gaps and habitations close to or even beyond it.

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