A Border Security Force officer was attacked by suspected cattle smugglers in Tripura early on Monday, PTI reported. Deepak Mondal, the second-in-command of the 145th battalion of the BSF, has been airlifted to Kolkata for treatment, said an unidentified official.

The incident took place around 2 am near the Belardeppa post, which is close to an unfenced stretch of the India-Bangladesh border. Mondal was patrolling the area with his team at that time.

Mondal was allegedly hit by a four-wheeler when he had tried to stop the suspected cattle smugglers. The attackers were armed with bricks, canes and machetes, the official said. Mondal suffered injuries to his head and legs, he added.