Skip to main content

Human rights leader blames BSF for migrant worker's death off Assam-Bangladesh border

Family members of the deceased
By Our Representative 
A senior human rights defender has complained of "barbaric, illegitimate and unjustified killing" of a young migrants worker, Musa Miah, at the Indo-Bangladesh border district of Dhubri in Assam, allegedly by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, claiming, "This incident again proves our stand that the BSF resorted in reign of terror and systematic killing of innocents at Indo-Bangladesh border and enjoying full impunity."
In a representation to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, Kirity Roy, convenor, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha, and national convenor, Programme Against Custodial Torture and Impunity, said, "The deceased was killed by BSF personnel of Madhya Balabhut Border Out Post of BSF Battalion Number 62, ‘A’ Company."
Worse, he said, the uncle of deceased Nur Islam lodged a written complaint to the Officer-in-Charge of Tufanganj Police Station in the district of Cooch Behar on January 1, 2023, "but till date no appropriate actions have been taken." Ironically, the incident, which took place on in December-end, 2022, happened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with his counterpart in Bangladesh (September 5 to 8, 2022), "publicly declared to reduce border killing to zero level", he added. 
Regretting that the border security forces of India, paid from public exchequer, are systematically dishonouring the decision, Roy said, "The killing and subsequent police inaction was in total contravention of NHRC's ‘Revised Guidelines/ Procedures to be followed in courses of deaths caused in police action’." The complaint, however, does not cite any reason for BSF taking the deceased into custody before allegedly torturing him to death.
"There were some procedural violations in this case. In spite of being handed over the victim to the concerned police, BSF personnel kept the victim in their custody for more than 24 hours and tortured him mercilessly which violates section 76 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Article 22 (2) of the Indian Constitution", the human rights defender said.
"It is also to be noted that under section 176 (1) (A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure it is mandatory to inquest the dead body of the victim of custodial death case by one judicial magistrate, but in this case no judicial magistrate conducted an inquest over the body of the victim", he noted, pointing out, on January 23, 2020 Supreme Court of India issued notice to the Centre and States on implementation of section 176 (1) (A)."
Stating that the matter "is a grave one which proves the collapse of the criminal justice system in our country", Roy said, "Inaction of the police officials of Tufanganj Police Station violates section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and apex court guidelines in Lalita Kumari vs State of Uttar Pradesh [WP (Crl.) no. 68 of 2008] where it is mandatory to register an FIR after receiving information of a cognizable offence."
Seeking "independent judicial inquiry must be started over the incident", Roy insisted, "The perpetrator BSF personnel attached with Madhya Balabhut Border Out Post, ‘A’ company, 62 Battalion must be booked under appropriate legal provisions and be tried in open court of law", and the "complaint of the uncle of the deceased must be registered as an FIR."
Seeking "financial compensation and adequate safety and security of the family members and witnesses", Roy demanded, "For proper enquiry and investigation, the body of Musa Miah be exhumed". He adding, "To stop such systematic killings with impunity, NHRC should come forward and arrange some sensitizing meetings with senior BSF, Police, Civil Administration to address the situation."

Comments

TRENDING

Importance of Bangladesh for India amidst 'growing might' of China in South Asia

By Samara Ashrat*  The basic key factor behind the geopolitical importance of Bangladesh is its geographical location. The country shares land borders with Myanmar and India. Due to its geographical position, Bangladesh is a natural link between South Asia and Southeast Asia.  The country is also a vital geopolitical ally to India, in that it has the potential to facilitate greater integration between Northeast India and Mainland India. Not only that, due to its open access to the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh has become significant to both China and the US.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Regional political dynamics 'leading to' institutional violence in SAARC University

By Sandeep Pandey*  South Asian University is a university set up in Delhi by member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives – which is open to students from all these countries. However, as SAARC is receiving little attention these days because of regional political dynamics, it appears as if SAU has lost significance too. Because of the hiatus in peace process between India and Pakistan, the Board of Governors of this University is dysfunctional.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'BBC film shows only tip of iceberg': Sanjiv Bhatt's daughter speaks at top US press club

By Our Representative   The United States' premier journalists' organisation, the National Press Club (NPC), has come down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recent "attacks on journalists in India." Speaking at the screening of an episode of the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question,” banned in India, in the club premises, NPC President Eileen O’Reilly said, “Since Modi came to power we have watched with frustration and disappointment as his regime has suppressed the rights of its citizens to a free and independent news media."

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Natural farming: Hamirpur leads the way to 'huge improvement' in nutrition, livelihood

By Bharat Dogra*  Santosh is a dedicated farmer who along with his wife Chunni Devi worked very hard in recent months to convert a small patch of unproductive land into a lush green, multi-layer vegetable garden. This has ensured year-round supply of organically grown vegetables to his family as well as fetched several thousand rupees in cash sales.

Over-stressed? As Naveen Patnaik turns frail, Odisha 'moves closer' to leadership crisis

By Sudhansu R Das  Not a single leader in Odisha is visible in the horizon who can replace Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He has ruled Odisha for nearly two and half decades. His father, Biju Patnaik, had built Odisha; he was a daring pilot who saved the life of Indonesia’s Prime Minister Sjahrir and President Sukarno when the Dutch army blocked their exit.

Anti-Valentine's Day push: Sectarian move to 'restrict, constrict' India's cultural milieu

By Ram Puniyani*  Indian culture is diverse and plural. It has been enriching itself by accepting the diversity irrespective of religion or geographical boundaries. This gets reflected in all aspects of our life, be it food habits, clothes, art, architecture, social occasions, customs and religious traditions. This is the natural grain of any open and thriving society. With the rise of sectarianism the effort is to restrict and constrict our culture in particular. 

Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Ban Ki-moon, others ask Bangladesh PM to 'protect' Yunus

Counterview Desk  A campaign has been launched to support Bangladesh-based economist, micro-finance guru and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, seeking signatures from citizens across the globe in order to “protect” his work, life and safety.