Balurghat, July 17: The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) exchanged fire at Elanpur in the Tapan police station area of South Dinajpur district this afternoon after a Bangladeshi rustler was shot dead by BSF jawans.

Yesterday, around 9.30 pm, the jawans had fired at a gang of rustlers, killing Tazimuddin Haq (30), a known criminal hailing from Naoga district of Bangladesh. His companions, however, managed to cross over to the other side. Four cows were seized.

Around 1.30 pm today, the BDR started firing at the BSF border outpost, said deputy inspector-general of the BSF, Malda range, Dharmendra Saraswat. The BSF fired back five rounds. There were no casualties on either side.

Saraswat alleged that the activities of the Bangladeshi smugglers were on the rise and the BDR had a hand in it.