The body of a retired Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) member was recovered from the Indian side of the border in Sabroom, Tripura, on Saturday, with signs of injury to his head.
Angthoipru Marma, 65, was found in the Dholbari area near the Feni River, close to the Fhenir Kul border in Ramgarh Upazila of Khagrachhari. Police have yet to establish the cause of his death.
According to locals, Angthoipru went to the riverbank around 2pm on Friday to cut grass but did not return home. His family began searching for him and later found his body across the border. Relatives and locals brought it back to Bangladesh on Saturday morning.
Ramgarh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Nazir Alam said the body bore signs of a head injury, but the circumstances surrounding the injury and death remained unclear. The body was taken to Ramgarh Police Station before being scheduled for an autopsy at Khagrachhari Sadar.
Assistant Director of Ramgarh 43 BGB Battalion Shamsul Haque said details would be available after the investigation.
However, the family has refused to allow a post-mortem examination. The deceased's son, Thoeangya Marma, said they had no complaints against anyone and believed his father had died of natural causes.
He urged the authorities to hand over the body without an autopsy so the family could perform the funeral in accordance with their religious and social customs.
Local residents and political leaders also went to the police station on Saturday to request that the autopsy be stopped.
As of filing this report, the administration and the family had yet to reach an agreement over the post-mortem examination. The body remained at Ramgarh Police Station.
