Kamal Ghorui
Silchar: Tension gripped the India–Bangladesh border in Assam’s Cachar district on Sunday after alleged Bangladeshi miscreants attacked Indian farmers cultivating land across the Surma river in Harinagar under Katigorah, leaving at least seven persons injured.According to sources, the farmers were working on their fields when they were assaulted with sticks and sharp weapons by a group that had crossed over from the Bangladesh side. The injured farmers escaped by swimming across the Surma river. The incident triggered panic in Harinagar, with hundreds of villagers rushing to the spot, escalating tensions in the area.Locals said Indian farmers have been cultivating around 225 hectares of land across the river for nearly two decades with valid identity cards and prior permission from the Border Security Force (BSF), according to norms followed in border areas.However, villagers alleged that harassment and obstruction by Bangladeshi nationals have increased in recent months. “After the BNP govt came to power in Bangladesh, they have been threatening and preventing us from cultivating or harvesting our crops,” a farmer said.Senior BSF officials rushed to the spot following the incident and took steps to restore normalcy. Security has been tightened along the border stretch, officials said.Cachar district shares a 32-km-long international border with Bangladesh, much of it shaped by the shifting course of the Surma river, often leading to disputes over land ownership and access.
