Key Facts
A 60-year-old farmer from southern Assam's Cachar district, who was abducted from the Indian side of the India-Bangladesh border on Tuesday morning, was returned by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) after more than 10 hours in captivity. The incident occurred in the Kinnarkhal area of Cachar's Katigorah.
Ranjit Das, a resident of Chandinagar Part-II village, was handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Bhanga border outpost in the adjoining Sribhumi district of Bangladesh later that night.
Details of the Incident
According to a BSF officer based in southern Assam, Das was released at 9:15 p.m. after a series of flag meetings between the border-guarding forces of the two countries. He was then taken to Katigorah Model Hospital for a medical examination and preliminary treatment.
Das told officials that he was initially assaulted by his abductors but was treated fairly well during his 10-hour captivity in a house on the Bangladesh side of the border.
What Happened on the Border
Sujit Das, the farmer's son, said his father had gone to the no-man's land—a 150-yard strip on either side of the zero line—along with 16 others to work on their agricultural plots and cut grass for their cattle. They crossed the barbed-wire fence after the BSF opened border gate number 31 in the morning.
While returning, Das realised he had left his machete behind and went back to retrieve it. From afar, one of the farmers reportedly saw two men cross the Surma River—which marks the boundary in the Kinnarkhal area—in a boat, pounce on Das on the Indian side of the riverbank, and take him away at around 11 a.m.
Impact and Response
The abduction raised tensions along the border, but the swift coordination between BGB and BSF ensured the farmer's safe return. Local BJP MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma coordinated with senior BSF officials and relevant ministries in New Delhi to secure Das's release.
“This is the first such incident in this section of the border. We hope it is the last,” Purkayastha said.
What Readers Should Know
- India and Bangladesh share a 4,096.7-km border; the Assam sector is 263 km long.
- The zero line runs along the midpoint of rivers demarcating more than 45 km of Assam's border with Bangladesh.
- Border fences are erected beyond 150 yards from the zero line, with gates opened daily for farmers to work in the no-man's land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was abducted from the Assam-Bangladesh border?
Ranjit Das, a 60-year-old farmer from Chandinagar Part-II village in Cachar district, was abducted on June 16, 2026.
How was the farmer returned?
After flag meetings between BGB and BSF, he was handed over at the Bhanga border outpost in Sribhumi district, Bangladesh.
Why was he abducted?
The abductors claimed it was to settle scores because one of their brothers had been killed on the Indian side of the border.