Smuggling bid thwarted along India-Bangladesh border in WB; man killed, BSF jawan injured
Siliguri: An unidentified person was killed and a BSF jawan was injured on Friday as the border protection force thwarted a smuggling bid along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, a spokesperson said.
The incident took place in the early hours of Friday near the Khalpara village in Darjeeling district.
The Border Security Force (BSF) spokesperson said a group of 15-20 Bangladeshi miscreants crossed the International Border illegally and entered "well inside" the Indian territory.
These people were joined by miscreants from the Indian side to smuggle cattle and contraband, the spokesperson said.
After a BSF patrol party asked them to surrender, "all the miscreants" attacked with 'dah' (similar to a sickle), sticks and also pelted stones, he said.
The BSF troopers fired non-lethal ammunition to disperse the attackers but they did not relent and tried to "snatch" the weapon of a jawan. "Sensing a threat to his life, the jawan fired from his rifle and the miscreants fled," the spokesperson said.
A BSF jawan was "badly injured" and the body of an unknown person was found on the spot, he said, adding the border fence was found "breached" by Bangladeshi smugglers.
Two cattle that the miscreants tried to smuggle have been seized the said. The nationality of the person killed is yet to be ascertained.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
