India on Friday cited the killing of three Bangladeshis in Tripura this week to impress upon Dhaka the need to uphold the sanctity of the international border and support fencing wherever needed.
The government maintained that the trio were cattle smugglers who had killed a local while trying to steal cattle.
According to the external affairs ministry, the incident took place on Wednesday about 3km inside Indian territory.
“A group of three miscreants from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers,” the MEA said in a readout.
“Authorities rushed to the spot, where two smugglers were found dead; a third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day. The mortal remains of all three have been handed over to the Bangladesh side. Police have also registered a case,” the readout added.
The MEA further said the incident underscored the need for Bangladesh to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary and support the construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh had protested the “brutal beating and killing” of the three by a “mob”, adding that this “heinous act is an unacceptable and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law”.
Calling for an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said: “The Government of Bangladesh underscores that all individuals, irrespective of their nationality, are entitled to the full protection of their human rights, regardless of which side of the border they may inadvertently find themselves in.”
The incident has added another irritant to the bilateral relationship soured ever since India decided to give refuge to deposed Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when she fled Dhaka last year.