Kolkata (West Bengal): Tensions erupted between Border Security Force (BSF) jawans and a group of locals on May 24 when the security personnel were carrying out a raid to nab drug smugglers in Bira village in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. According to the BSF, the events unfolded when the jawans of Border Outpost Ramchandrapur from the 107 Battalion under the South Bengal Frontier received information from reliable information about a large quantity of Ganja being stored in an abandoned house in Bira village, near the border.
Responding to the tip-off, the jawans set up an ambush around the location and around 9:45 pm they approached the tin house and observed two smugglers packing the ganja into plastic packets. "As the jawans approached them, one of the smugglers fled the scene, while the other was apprehended by the jawans. While the BSF jawans were conducting a search of the surrounding area, a crowd of approximately 150-200 men and women gathered at the scene, vehemently demanding the release of the captured smuggler," the press release stated.
The BSF jawans attempted to calm the crowd, but it gradually started moving closer to them, growing increasingly agitated. Armed with sticks and rods, the mob began chanting "Maro Maro" (Hit them), it stated. "Consequently, when the crowd continued to advance with the intention to attack, the jawan fired one round into the air in an attempt to disperse them, but the crowd remained undeterred.