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

Family members of the deceased

By A 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

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Search This Blog