A 27-year-old youth residing at a village near the Bangladesh border in South Dinajpur district suffered serious injuries when a Border Security Force team fired pellets to apparently disperse a mob that was protesting alleged harassment by the security personnel on Wednesday.

Ashraful Molla, a resident of Nicha-Gobindapur village, has suffered multiple pellet injuries and is under treatment at the district hospital in Balurghat. He is reported to be in a critical condition.

“In the morning, some BSF personnel challenged Ashraful while he was on his way home and an altercation ensued. After some time, Ashraful left for his home,” said a villager. Later, when a BSF team visited the village for routine patrolling, some residents resorted to protest alleging harassment of the youth. Ashraful was also with them.

“Suddenly, the BSF personnel fired from a pellet gun. The pellets hit Ashraful and he fell on the spot. We fled the place,” said Farooque, Ashraful’s brother.

“A probe is on. We will speak to the BSF soon,” said Rahul Dey, South Dinajpur police chief.

Sources said the BSF team had fired pellets to disperse the villagers.

The incident has again raised questions over the alleged highhandedness of the BSF in the border areas, an issue that has been time and again flagged by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“We have repeatedly mentioned how the BSF tortures residents living near the borders on the pretext of security. Earlier, there had been incidents when people were gunned down. The state government should take up the issue with the Union home ministry to avert such unprovoked attacks on common people,” said a Trinamul leader in Balurghat.