Agartala, Sep. 9 (PTI): Three BSF jawans were among five people injured in a clash between the troops and local residents in West Tripura district, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred at Rayermura village near the India-Bangladesh border on Sunday evening.
"A BSF patrol detained three people who were allegedly throwing packets of some contraband items from the Indian side of the international border to Bangladesh at Rayermura village on Sunday evening," DIG of police, Arindam Nath said.
He said when the BSF personnel prevented the alleged smugglers from throwing the contraband items to Bangladesh, some villagers attacked the jawans and other local residents joined them.
"The BSF jawans had to open two rounds of pump-action gun on the attackers, causing injuries to two of them," Nath said.
The BSF personnel have lodged an FIR against the attackers, he said.
BSF DIG, C L Belwa, confirming Nath's version, said that his jawans had opened fire on the villagers in self- defence from pump-action guns causing minor injuries to two of them.
Three BSF personnel, including a company commander, were injured in stone-pelting by the alleged smugglers, he said.
The injured persons were given first aid at Tripura Medical College.
Police are investigating the case.
