AGARTALA: On the afternoon of 2 November, a crowd of about 50 gathered around the BSF men who had stopped a ganja consignment near the Bangladesh border. Five days on, most of that crowd is in police custody.
Twenty-one people, including four women, have now been arrested over the attack at Ashabari in Sepahijala district, under Kalamchoura police station, officials said on Saturday.
The two most wanted were picked up that day. Rabiul Hossain and Mahabul Hossain were detained by the BSF and handed over to Kalamchoura police station at night. In video footage examined by investigators, Rabiul is seen snatching a jawan's service rifle and Mahabul is seen striking personnel with a stick, according to the investigation.
Rabiul's mother, Hasina Khatun, was arrested from Kalapania on Friday night, produced before the Sonamura court on Saturday and remanded to police custody until 13 November. She was later moved to Bishalgarh women's police station. She is accused of hitting a jawan with a stick during the rifle-snatching.
Seven men arrested earlier were produced again on Saturday as their four-day remand ended. The court granted a further seven days, until 13 November. Three women arrested earlier remain in judicial custody and will be produced again on 13 November. Rabiul and Mahabul will be produced on Sunday.
Public Prosecutor Gautam Giri said all 19 accused produced so far will appear again on 13 November. Given the sensitivity of the case, Raju Dutta, Public Prosecutor of the High Court of Tripura, also appeared before the Sonamura court.
The 21 accused have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma said identifications are being made on electronic evidence, CCTV footage and intelligence inputs. "Everyone who took part in the attack will be brought to justice," he said.
Separately, police, the BSF, Customs and the Sonamura sub-divisional administration carried out a joint search at Rahimpur market, recovering a large quantity of firecrackers, biscuits and other goods.
Tripura shares an 856-km international border with Bangladesh, and the state is surrounded by the country on three sides.
The 2 November violence began when BSF personnel intercepted a group allegedly smuggling cannabis across the border. Three personnel, including a Company Commander, were seriously injured, a pump-action gun was snatched and a BSF vehicle was damaged.