The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) intercepted two Indian farmers in South Dinajpur late on Friday afternoon and took them to Bangladesh while the duo was working in their field located beyond the barbed wire fences at the India-Bangladesh border.

The Border Security Force (BSF), the district administration, and the police intervened to eventually bring the farmers back home late onFriday night.

The incident has led to apprehensions among people in the Indian villages near the border. The BSF has also intensified patrolling in the area.

Philip Soren and Abinash Tudu, the farmers who live in Anantapur, a border village under Gangarampur police station of the district, were among the farners working in their fields beyond the fences when suddenly, some BGB troopers arrived, said Sonahar Hansda, a villager who was also working on the field.

“They (the BGB personnel) intercepted two among us (Soren and Tudu) and took them away,” Hansda said.

“Many of us own farmland beyond the fences and cross the gates along the fences to reach our plots. If the BGB keeps on detaining us without any reason, we doubt how many of us will muster the courage to go to our fields. The BSF should take it up with BGB to prevent such harassment of Indian farmers,”he added.

Sources said that on Friday morning, the BSF had detained two Bangladeshi nationals who tried to infiltrate India. Some hours later, the BGB acted and detained two Indian farmers.

As the news spread, officials of the 99th battalion of the BSF reached the border.

A flag meeting was held between them and the BGB at the border, and the BSF sought clarification as to why the two farmers had been detained.

“Some rounds of flag meetings were held at the site. Later at night, the BGB released the Indian farmers, and they walked back to their homes safely. The BSF also handed over the two Bangladeshis who had been intercepted earlier for infiltration to the BGB,” said a source.

Chinmay Mittal, the district police chief, also confirmed to the media that the farmers safely returned home.