Trigger happy BSF killed another innocent

Ms. Khukuli Khatun, an 18 year old student was shot dead by BSF firing from point blank range, while she was in attempt to save her mother and sister from torture unleashed upon by the BSF. On 19th November, ’08, Khukuli returned home from her school only to find her mother and sister were being inhumanly battered by the BSF. This was supposedly an act of reaction by the BSF in failing to capture an intruder from Bangladesh, who entered through the Indo-Bangladesh border of that area in Nadia District of West Bengal.

While BSF was in search of that intruder in the said border, they came across one Mr. Baijid Hossain (22 years), whom they expected to get relevant information about the intrusion. Mr. Baijid Hossain failed to provide any such information and that made him a victim of BSF wrath and was mercilessly beaten by the BSF personnel. The cries of torment by the victim made Ms. Bilkis Mondal, and Ms. Kajoli Mondal, mother and sister respectively of Khukuli Khatun to rush out from their house and attempt to save the victim. This act made the BSF more furious and they started beating those two women black and blue. At this juncture Ms. Khulkuli Khatun reached at the place of occurrence and tried to save her mother and sister; and the incensed BSF personnel shot at her from close proximity. She was unarmed and had no capacity of committing life threatening act to BSF at that time.

The jawans immediately left the spot threatening the villagers not to attend the victims and kept their guns pointed at them while escaping so that the mob could not retaliate. Thereafter Khukuli was taken to a local Health Centre from where she was immediately transferred to Chapra Hospital, where she was admitted at 5.50 pm. The doctor even came to attend her but at 6 p.m., she succumbed to her injuries.

The police of Chapra Police Station initially refused to register the complaint of the mother of Khukuli; Ms. Bilkis Mondal but finally they have been forced to initiate a criminal case against the BSF jawans on the basis of the complaint lodged by the mother of the deceased; being Chapra Police Station Case no 412/2008 Dated 19/11/2008 under section 302 of Indian Penal Code & 25 / 27 Arms act. But after the intervention from other civil society organizations they forced to accept the complaint.
 

The perpetrators i.e. the BSF also lodged one counter-complaint at Chapra Police Station by the Assistant Commandant of ‘F’ Company, 42 Battalion, BSF, against unknown unruly mob being Chapra Police Station case no. 413/ 08 under Sections 147(Rioting) /148(rioting armed with deadly weapon) / 326 (voluntary causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon or means) / 353(assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty)/ 427 (mischief) of Indian Penal Code.

On 20.11.2008 the news paper reports quoted BSF DIG Mr. S.S. Chahar confirming the suspension of M. Silva Kumar of 42 battalion, BSF and putting him under ‘quarter guard’ at the battalion headquarter of 42 BN BSF at P.O. Sheemanagar, Block- Chapra, Nadia. But outrageously the said jawan was not handed over to the police till date.

 The barbed wire and IBBR (Indo Bangladesh Border Road) is only 40-50 meters away from the house of Khukuli. It was reported by the local residents that the fencing was not in place along with the actual border rather it is through the middle of the Hatkhula Village inside the Indian Territory. Around 400 families of Hatkhula Village live on other side of the fence without having any security though they are bonafide citizen of India but deprived from freedom of movement as guaranteed and other Fundamental Rights according to the Indian Constitution.

Khukuli killed by the atrocious band of uniformed personnel supposed to protect our border at an early age. Very few of such incidents are getting attention but there are umpteen numbers of atrocities going on and on in Indo Bangladesh border without any report. The Higher officials of BSF and Indian administration are well aware of the situation but there is no initiative from their part to check BSF killings and other forms of regular subjugation of the populace and to appropriately punish the involved BSF personnel rather they are shielding the BSF personnel involved in those heinous acts.

To show a solidarity with the issue; different civil society organisations came forward and protested against the heinous act of Border Security Force. On 17th of December 2008 SANJOG, Chapra Sewa, Sanlap, SRDTC, SPAR, St. John’s Ambulance, SPMUS and BAPU with others civil society organizations met for a long drawn strategy to counter those attacks and met the Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate of Nadia to