BSF attrocities in Murshidabad

Name of the victims - Bagbul Islam Mondal alias Bagbul Sk. s/o Late Khalilur Mondal, Village- Kalbali Tala, P.O. – Jinnatpara, P.S.- Raninagar, District – Murshidabad.

Name of the perpetrators - Three armed personnel of Border Security Force, Kaharpara Camp, 136 no. Battalion.

Place of incident - Northeastern Part of Harudanga Village on 12th May 2006

On 12.05.06, Friday at about 10 P.M. Bagbul Islam Mondal went to his agricultural land with his brother Masidul Islam Mondal to look after the paddy crops of the said land having dag No. 273 and 274 of Mouza – Paschim Char, Majhar Diar under the Raninagar P.S. During their vigil of crops, at about 11 P.M. Bagbul and Masidul saw that some smugglers in connivance with BSF Jawans by illegally transacting money helping the smugglers in trafficking cattle (Cow and Buffalos) through the paddy and jute fields with full of crops in Indo-Bangladesh Border. After seeing this, Bagbul and Masidul resisted the smugglers and the effort caused some commotion, and in between, the smugglers forcibly took away the cattle through the agricultural fields full of paddy and jutes to Bangladesh.

It also comes into account that in the name of 'beautification' or 'industrialization' people are forced to be dispossessed from their immovable property and compelled to lead a situation of hand to mouth. This so called industrialization has helped non-indigenous demography to strengthen their position but the indigenous people are still in dark leading their naked civilization as they led before.

After that, Bagbul and Masidul started for their home but on the way in the BSF Road near culvert, three armed BSF personnel of Kaharpara Camp of 136 Battalion, on their way from 8 No. out post tried to apprehend Bagbul and Masidul forcibly, but in this course Masidul succeeded to escape but Bagbul was caught. After apprehending Bagbul, they started beating Bagbul black and blue with Lathis (stick) and subsequently he fell to ground. In this circumstance one armed BSF Jawan fired a single shot beneath the left armpit of Bagbul, the bullet pierced through his body and get out through the right armpit. Probably he died on the spot.

After that incident, next day on 13.05.2006, at about 10 A.M. wife and relatives of deceased Bagbul went to the Raninagar P.S. to lodge a complaint against the BSF personnel against the heinous murder, they perpetuated, but the Officer in-Charge of Raninagar P.S. Mr. Samit Bhattacharya S.I., refused to take complaint instantly and assured that he would take the complaint after the post mortem was conducted. The wife of the victim went to the said P.S. on 14.05.2006, after post mortem and funeral of the deceased was performed, but the said Officer in-Charge was not present at the P.S. on that very time and one Assistant Sub Inspector, who was present at the P.S refused to take the complaint.

Masum contacted Mr. Samit Bhattacharya Officer-in-Charge of Raninagar PS on 26.5.2006. He informed that he did not receive any complaint from victim family. He also categorically stated that there was no significant injury mark on any BSF personnel. He also stated that BSF did not complain of any arm was possessed by the victim at the time of firing. The O.C. of Raninagar PS also informed that upon the death of Bagbul Raninagar PS Unnatural Death Case (UD Case No. 09/06) and Raninagar PS case under sections 147/ 148/ 149/ 146/ 186/ 353/ 307 IPC were also registered over the incident. The police case was registered at the instance of the BSF personnel. It was also learnt that the autopsy was done at Lalbagh Sub Divisional Hospital, Murshidabad on 13.05.06 under Post Mortem Report No. 101. The officer-in-charge of Raninagar P.S. informed Masum that BSF opened firing in self defence. But the witnesses of the incident, complaint lodged by BSF, nothing suggests the firing was the outcome of self-defense.

We strongly condemn such inhuman, barbaric and gross illegal act of BSF. The right to life of a citizen has been violated by such blatant act of BSF. Under no circumstances, the team of BSF has any authority to act like this brutal manner. From this incident, it appears that the victim has been beaten and shot from the close range. Nothing goes to show that the gravity of the situation demanded any firing.