BSF jawan abducted, tied and filmed by Bangladeshi nationals, freed after flag meet

A BSF jawan on duty at the Chandni Chowk border post in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district was forcibly dragged into Bangladesh early Wednesday morning while questioning a group of individuals suspected of infiltration.

The soldier, identified as Shri Ganesh from the 71st Battalion, was posted near the India-Bangladesh international border under the Suti Police Station area. He was taken across the border by a group of Bangladeshi nationals in what is now being described as a serious cross-border breach.

Captured, tied, and filmed in Bangladesh

BSF sources confirmed that the jawan was captured and held in Satrashiya village in Bangladesh’s Chapai Nawabganj district. He had been attempting to prevent an infiltration bid near Kathalia village when the group overpowered him.

A video, widely shared online, showed the trooper tied to a banana tree in what appeared to be a remote location. Voices in the footage revealed verbal abuse. Some individuals allegedly assaulted him. Others reportedly intervened to prevent further harm and handed him over to the Border Guard Bangladesh.

The BSF, however, denied reports of assault. They confirmed the jawan was unharmed. “The jawan was trying to maintain a humane approach and had thus allowed the Bangladeshi nationals to come closer to him considering them normal villagers. But they turned out to be criminals and they overpowered him and took him inside. We will take stern measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” a BSF official said.

Rescued after prompt flag meeting

The BSF acted quickly after realising the jawan had been abducted. They contacted their counterparts in the Border Guard Bangladesh and demanded his immediate release. A flag meeting between both forces took place within hours.

“He was abducted by Bangladeshi nationals and was held captive, but was released within a couple of hours after we flagged the issue with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The jawan is now with us and doing fine,” a senior BSF official of the South Bengal Frontier told PTI.

Following the flag meeting, the jawan was handed over to Indian authorities. He is now back with his unit.

Earlier assumptions suggested that the BSF trooper may have crossed into Bangladesh accidentally while chasing suspected infiltrators. But the BSF enquiry has now confirmed that the soldier was still inside Indian territory when he was abducted.

This clarification removes doubt and raises concerns about how such a breach could occur along a sensitive stretch of international border.

Security review underway, questions remain

The BSF is now reviewing standard procedures and security arrangements at the Chandni Chowk outpost and other vulnerable areas of the border.

Investigations are ongoing to understand how the group managed to overpower an armed jawan and take him across the border. No official statement has yet been issued by the BSF beyond confirmation of the incident and recovery of the soldier.

The authenticity of the viral video, although unverified by ET, has added pressure for both nations to re-examine cross-border cooperation mechanisms.