A group of Bangladeshis forcibly took away an Indian farmer while he was working on his agricultural field that is located beyond the barbed wire fences of the frontier in Sitalkuchi block of Cooch Behar district on Monday.

The abduction of Krishnakanta Barman, 60, triggered protests in the Mirapara village, prompting officials of the Border Security Force (BSF) to take up the matter with their counterparts at the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). In the evening, the BGB handed over the farmer to the BSF.

Sources said Krishnakanta Barman, 60, of Mirapara in Goleonhati panchayat, had crossed the border gate that is along the fence and reached his agricultural field.

"While he was working on his land, some cattle from the Bangladesh side strayed into his plot. When he tried to steer the animals away, some Bangladeshis reached there. They reportedly had an altercation with Barman, and soon, grabbed the framer and forced him to walk with them to the Bangladesh side,” said Dinabala Barman, Krishnakanta’s sister.