CHAPAINAWABGANJ: Chased by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, a teenage Bangladeshi cattle trader jumped into the Mahananda for life and drowned in the brimming river along Bholahat border on Tuesday night, sources here said.

The deceased was identified as Abdus Sabur, 18.

Another Bangladeshi was seriously injured as BSF members allegedly tortured and threw him into the mighty river Padma on Shibganj border.

Intelligence sources said BSF troops of Adampur camp chased a group of cattle trader near Chandshikari border in Bholahat upazila on Tuesday night.  

“In the face of a hot chase, the cattle traders jumped into the River Mahananda at about 8pm. All but Sabur managed to swim ashore,” the sources quoted a firsthand account as saying.

Bholahat thana police recovered the body from the river at 10 pm.

Bholahat thana Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdur Rashid said a case was registered with the police station.

Operations Officer of 39 Rifles Battalion Maj. Nazrul Islam confirmed the incident.

In another incident, BSF members of Nimtita outpost chased some Bangladeshi traders while they were trying to enter Indian land at about 00:30am Wednesday.  

The Indian border guards chased them and held Nurul Islam. They reportedly tortured and then threw him into the Padma River.

Later, his relatives rescued him with the help of BDR men and rushed him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

BDST: 1800 HRS, SEPT 1, 2010