Rina Mitra, the principal advisor on internal security in Bengal, visited a village near the Bangladesh border in the Tufanganj subdivision of Cooch Behar district on Friday and spoke to residents to address their concerns following the death of a youth in BSF firing.

During her visit to the Madhya Balabhut village, the retired IPS officer was accompanied by a clutch of senior civil and police officials.

On August 9, Shahinur Haque, a 19-year-old youth, had died after a team of the Border Security Force (BSF) had opened fire at the village. A group of cattle smugglers had attacked the BSF team which made them fire gunshots, the BSF later said.

The incident sparked protests against the BSF’s alleged highhandedness, following which minister Rabindranath Ghosh sought the chief minister’s intervention.

Mitra spoke to the villagers and BSF officials. Before heading for the village, she had also held a meeting at the circuit house here, said sources.

“The principal advisor collected all relevant information during her visit. She has also assured us that the matter will be looked into. We have told her how a section of the BSF personnel pose problems for residents,” said Ghosh.

Political observers said Mitra had been sent to the village by the state to win the confidence of the people dwelling near the India-Bangladesh border.

“Before Parliament elections last year, allegations had been levelled against some BSF personnel that they were trying to influence people to support the BJP in Cooch Behar. Now it seems Trinamul wants to send a message to the villagers,” said an observer.