Tension erupts between BSF & state police in Chapra over seized Venorex bottles

POLICE SOURCES CONFIRMED THAT ONE BSF JAWAN HAD BEEN DETAINED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SCUFFLE, THOUGH NO FORMAL ARREST HAD BEEN MADE TILL THE TIME OF REPORTING. FIVE POLICEMEN, WHO SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES DURING THE CONFRONTATION, WERE TREATED AT A LOCAL HEALTH CENTRE.

- BISWABRATA GOSWAMI

A routine anti-narcotics operation turned into a night of chaos and confrontation on Tuesday when a clash erupted between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the West Bengal Police over the custody of seized bottles of Venorex cough syrup — a banned substance frequently smuggled across the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The altercation, which took place around 8 p.m. in the Chapra police station area of Nadia district, left at least five policemen injured and led to the detention of a BSF jawan by the local police. According to police and local sources, the trouble began when residents of Simanagar, located along the Krishnagar-Karimpur state highway, noticed several packets being unloaded from a vehicle and informed the Chapra police.

On arrival, the police reportedly discovered a large quantity of the banned Venorex syrup — a codeine-based cough mixture widely used as an intoxicant — and began loading the seized contraband into their vehicle.