The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday claimed to have foiled an infiltration attempt by a “large group of Bangladeshi nationals” into Assam’s South Salmara-Mankachar district from across the India-Bangladesh border.

In a statement, the BSF Guwahati Frontier said that its personnel deployed along the international boundary observed “suspicious movement” from the Bangladesh side early Tuesday morning.

“BSF troops swiftly acted and challenged the individuals to prevent unauthorized entry into Indian territory. The group subsequently retreated into Bangladesh,” the statement said, adding that the incident reflected the force’s commitment to border security.

However, the statement came after media reports surfaced claiming that the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) had opposed an alleged attempt by BSF to push back 14 Bangladeshi nationals near the Thauranbari area in the same sector earlier on Tuesday.

Tension reportedly flared when local Bangladeshi civilians joined the BGB in resisting the move, following which BSF personnel fired a few rounds in the air to disperse the gathering. Reports also claimed that BGB personnel briefly crossed the Zero Line, the neutral area along the international boundary.

A video also emerged showing a man claiming to be a schoolteacher from Assam’s Morigaon district and one of the 14 individuals allegedly being pushed back, further fueling confusion.

Responding to the allegations, a BSF official denied any pushback attempt. “We only foiled an exodus of Bangladeshi nationals into India. The reports of a pushback are hearsay. The situation is evolving but currently under control,” the official said.

The BSF has reportedly intensified surveillance along the Assam-Bangladesh border—particularly the 262-km-long stretch—in view of increased movement after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh earlier in August.

Notably, on May 10, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state was pushing back Bangladeshi infiltrators daily, bypassing legal proceedings. “We have created a system where we convince the BGB that these people are about to enter, and this system has now been institutionalised,” Sarma had said.

According to Bangladeshi media reports, the BGB has lodged a protest with the BSF regarding such alleged “push-ins”.