Skip to main content

BSF person fired at innocent farmer, 'thought' he was smuggler, no complaint registered

By Kirity Roy* 
A heartbreaking incident has come to light involving the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stationed at the Gitaldah Border Outpost (BOP) of D Company, 90 BSF Battalion. On June 15, 2024, the life of 29-year-old Mustafa Ali was for ever changed when he was shot by a BSF officer.
In the early hours of June 15, 2024, around 4 am, Mustafa, an innocent farmer, was struck in his left leg by bullets fired by the BSF personnel while he was returning to his home from his maternal uncle’s house. 
At Dak Bunglow crossing towards the Ghosh Para road, he received the bullet (pellets) injury at his left foot. Despite the extreme pain and fear, he managed to run for his life and sought refuge at his maternal uncle's home. For three agonizing days, he was treated by a local quack, but his condition showed no improvement.
On June 19, 2024, Dr Indrajit Das examined Mustafa and revealed the horrifying truth that six bullets were there in his left leg, smashing the bone. The suffering that Mustafa endured is beyond words. He was then moved to Patna, Bihar. There he was examined and admitted to the Anup Institute of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation on June 24, 2024, where orthopedic surgeon Dr RN Singh performed a critical operation. 
After enduring a month of painful rehabilitation, Mustafa was able to walk again, but only with the help of a stick. The total cost of his treatment amounted to nearly Rs 2,00,000 -- a staggering amount for a poor farmer.
Mustafa is aged about 29, and resides in village Kharija Haridas under Block Dinhata 1, district Cooch Behar, with his wife and 3-year-old daughter. A humble farmer, he earned no more than Rs 4,000  a month till this tragic incident occurred. 
When our fact-finding team of the Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
(MASUM) contacted the BSF personnel at the Gitaldaha BOP, they claimed they fired at him believing he was a smuggler. But in reality, he was just a passerby. 
It was also learned that the spot, where Mustafa received pellets, is about 2.5 kilometres inside the Indian territory from the international border. 
On July 19, 2024, Mustafa’s wife, Pinki Khatoon, lodged a complaint to the Superintendent of Police in Cooch Behar, sending it through a registered post. She pleaded for action against the BSF officer responsible for this senseless act of violence and prayed for compensation. Yet, no case has been registered to date.
This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for accountability and compassion in the actions of security forces. Innocent lives like Mustafa’s should not be shattered by such acts of violence. He was an innocent civilian struggling to make a living.
After going through the incident, lots of questions arise:
  1. Are BSF allowed to fire 2.5 kilometers inside the territory?
  2. Why on duty BSF did not apprehend the person when his movement was suspicious?
  3. Why after firing the on-duty BSF constable did not arrest the suspicious man?
  4. Why was the incident of firing and injuring one civilian not reported to the police?
  5. Are powers vested to BSF personnel above the Constitution of India? 
  6. Why didn't the police start a case against BSF after receiving a written complaint? 
  7. The officials concerned should enquire into the incident and take legal steps so that the victim and his family get justice and reparation. 
  8. The victim's family should be provided safety and security.
---
*Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM). This article is based on the author's representation to the Principal Secretary, Home & Hill Affairs, Government of West Bengal

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: Hateful, abusive comments won't be published. -- Editor

TRENDING

Ahmedabad world’s least climate resilient major city: AlphaGeo study

By Rajiv Shah  A new study has ranked Ahmedabad as the least climate-resilient major city in the world , highlighting a dangerous gap between the city’s extreme physical vulnerability to climate hazards and its capacity to adapt. Cited by The New York Times , the analysis, conducted by geospatial artificial intelligence firm AlphaGeo , places the Indian city at the top of a list of global urban centres most exposed to climate risk.
Post a Comment
»

The making of a self-made woman: How eighty sheep changed everything for Kalawati Ninama

By Vikas Meshram*  About forty-two kilometres from Rajasthan's Banswara district, in the tribal heartland of Ghatol block, lies the small village of Ubapana. This is where Kalawati Ninama, her husband Dhulji, and their four children make their home. Their days unfold much like those of their neighbours—bustling mornings, long hours of farm labour through the afternoon, and evenings spent tending livestock. For this family, farming and livestock were once simply a means of putting food on the table. Today, they have become the sturdy foundation of something far greater: genuine self-sufficiency.
Post a Comment
»

India has spent billions on skilling. Where are the jobs?

By Vikas Gupta   India loves the photograph of a certificate ceremony. A minister on a stage. A banner bearing the word “skill.” Young people holding folders that promise a future. It is a reassuring image because it tells us the problem has a manageable answer: train the young, make them job-ready, and work will follow.
Post a Comment
»