3 Bangladeshis beaten dead in Tripura

Three Bangladeshi cattle traders were beaten to death by locals at Khowai town in the Indian state of Tripura yesterday.

The dead are Sujan Mia, 22, Param Ali, 40, and Akkel Mia, 19, from Gazipur union of Chunarughat upazila, Amulya Kumar Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Chunarughat Police Station, told The Daily Star.

The locals had suspected them to be thieves.

Lt Col Nasir Uddin, commanding officer of 46th Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), confirmed the news.

Five cattle traders, including the three, crossed the border into India on Monday night, Gazipur Union Chairman Tajul Islam told this correspondent.

A mob swooped on them at Khowai early yesterday. Sujan and Param died on the spot and Akkel at a hospital in the town, Tajul told this correspondent, quoting the two cattle traders, who escaped the attack and returned home yesterday.

He, however, refused to give their identities.

Steps were being taken to bring back the bodies, said Lt Col Nasir.