The BSF Tripura Frontier has begun the process of handing over two suspected Bangladeshi smugglers killed in a firing incident near the Zero Point on the India-Bangladesh border in Sepahijala district. BSF personnel on routine patrol say they spotted a group allegedly trying to smuggle fish fingerlings from the Indian side. After warnings, the smugglers allegedly pelted stones and bricks, prompting BSF personnel to fire a few rounds from a pump action gun in self-defence. The injured were taken to hospital but later died; post-mortem completed and bodies kept before handover to Bangladesh.
India’s gold discounts surged to a record level above $200 an ounce after the government lifted gold and silver import duties to 15% from 6%. Higher local prices hit an already weak demand backdrop, prompting investors to sell even at steep discounts. While retail buyers and jewelers stayed away, gold futures jumped 7.2% to the highest in two months and investors booked profits in gold ETFs. Dealers also fear the hike will fuel smuggling by widening grey-market margins.
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Revenue intelligence and customs officials plan to intensify checks at airports, seaports and land borders after India raised import duty on gold and silver to 15%. The crackdown targets smuggling routes, carrier networks and foreign syndicates, aiming to prevent a resurgence of illegal gold trade sparked by the tariff hike.
India’s gems and jewellery industry is bracing for strain after the gold import duty was raised to 15 percent. Industry leaders say higher costs could drive demand toward the grey market and even smuggling, while consumers may shift to lighter gold jewellery to manage rising prices. Leaders are meeting to assess impacts and potential responses.
Despite a decade-old alcohol ban, Bihar’s drinking hasn’t disappeared—it has gone underground. Traders use coded terms like “pure milk” and “sonapapdi” to mask liquor deals, with young couriers making discreet deliveries. The illegal trade is estimated in the thousands of crores, and enforcement struggles as smuggling tactics grow more inventive.
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