Photo Courtesy: northeasttoday
Guwahati: Bangladeshi officials returned 65-year-old farmer Ranjit Das to Indian authorities late Tuesday, just hours after his abduction from the zero line along the border in Assam's Cachar district. The safe handover followed intense discussions between officials from both nations, and a Border Security Force officer confirmed that Das was in good health after undergoing a medical examination.
Witnesses report that six to seven men crossed the border and assaulted Das as he attempted to retrieve his machete after working in a field near the Surma River. His brother, Kalimohan Das, attempted to stop the abduction but was pushed back by the group. The farmer's family received a phone call claiming the act was retaliation for a recent death on the Bangladeshi side of the frontier. A family member said, "We do not know how true that is, but after talks between the two countries, he was finally returned."
The incident triggered widespread panic in Kinnarkhal and neighboring villages, leading hundreds of residents to protest at the border fence. Local leaders, including Silchar MP Parimal Suklabaidya and legislator Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, coordinated with state and security officials to secure his release. The situation has prompted renewed calls for enhanced security, as farmers frequently access vulnerable agricultural land located beyond the Indian border fence.
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