BSF accused of farm vandalism by Agra village residents in South Dinajpur
Telegraph | 28 March 2026
Residents of Agra, a village within the Hili police station limits near the India-Bangladesh border in South Dinajpur district, have accused Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of damaging their betel leaf plantations.
“We have been cultivating betel leaves for generations, but never faced such harassment before. Over the last few days, the enclosures at the plantations have been repeatedly broken. Last night (Wednesday), some BSF personnel destroyed the fences and gates. We are suffering heavy losses and demand compensation,” said Maya Das, one of the affected farmers.
Villagers reported that the covering around 30 paan boroj (betel leaf plantations) near the north Agra border outpost of the BSF were damaged overnight. The farmers claim that the exposure of the crops might ruin the yield across nearly 50 acres of land, leading to losses worth several lakh.
“Today (Thursday), we found that the enclosures have been damaged. We also found boot marks in the nearby fields, which suggests that the BSF is behind the damage,” said Jhuma Das, another farmer.
Representatives of the local panchayat and the Hili panchayat samiti visited the site. They condemned the incident and demanded compensation for the affected farmers.
“Marginal farmers depend on betel cultivation for their livelihood. Many BSF battalions have served here before, but such incidents never occurred. If the BSF is indeed responsible, it raises serious concerns about the farmers’ future. We would take up the issue with the appropriate authorities,” said Tapas Barman, deputy head of the Trinamool-run panchayat samiti.
Bhagban Hansda, a BJP member of the local panchayat, said: “The BSF personnel are deployed here for border security. Without direct evidence, it would be incorrect to raise fingers at them.”
Later, the BSF's north Bengal frontier, headquartered in Kadamtala on the outskirts of Siliguri, denied the charges.
“The BSF north Bengal frontier categorically denies the allegations of ‘looting’ or ‘vandalism’ of betel plantations in North Agra village, Hili, South Dinajpur district,” the statement issued by them read.
“BSF maintains the highest respect for the livelihood of marginal farmers, maintains robust relations with the border populace and remains open to discussing grievances with the residents. We urge local leaders to refrain from politicising the matter,” said the statement.