Indian, Bangladeshi border guards exchange fire

The Bangladesh Rifles on Thursday fired on the Border Security Force personnel after they foiled an attempt by a group of Bangladeshis to kidnap an Indian border guard along the frontier in South Dinajpur district of West Bengal, official sources said.

When the BSF came to the rescue of its personnel, the BDR opened fire, to which the Indian border guards retaliated, the sources said. A flag meeting was later held by the BSF and BDR.

West Bengal Minister Biswanath Choudhury, accompanied by District Magistrate of South Dinajpur Sarfaraz Ahmed visited the spot and said the BDR fired every now and then and this had "terrorised" villagers.

He said the matter would be taken up with the Centre for raising with Bangladesh.