India, B'desh farmers clash along border in Bengal

CLASHES ERUPTED AFTER INDIAN FARMERS ACCUSED THEIR B'DESH COUNTERPARTS OF CROSSING THE BORDER TO STEAL THEIR CROPS

- Joydeep Thakur and Prawesh Lama

KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: Farmers from India and Bangladesh clashed along the international border in West Bengal's Malda district on Saturday, forcing border guards from both nations to fire stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds that swelled to nearly 1,000 people on each side, officials said.

The confrontation, which began around 11:45 am at Sukhdevpur, about 50 km south of Malda town, erupted after Indian farmers accused their Bangladeshi counterparts of crossing the border to steal crops, BSF officials said. The incident quickly escalated from an altercation to stone pelting between residents of both countries.

"An altercation started which soon snowballed and took a serious turn. Hundreds of farmers from both sides gathered abusing each other and pelting stones," a BSF official posted in Malda said, asking not to be named.

Officials reported no serious injuries.

Local Indian farmers alleged a pattern of cross-border incursions.