A call for justice: Human rights violation alleged against BSF personnel in North 24 Parganas

By Kirity Roy*

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been called upon to address a grave instance of alleged human rights abuse involving Mr. Asmaul Sardar, a resident of Hakimpur village, Swarupnagar Police Station, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. The incident occurred between November 2 and November 4, 2024, and reportedly involves severe mistreatment by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stationed at Tarali Mini Border Outpost (BOP).

According to reports, Mr. Sardar, a farmer by profession, was stopped by BSF personnel while driving a private car on November 2, 2024. Although no illegal items were discovered at the time, he was detained and taken to the BSF's Tarali Mini BOP. Allegedly, Mr. Sardar was tied upside down to a tree and subjected to physical torture for hours.

On November 4, BSF personnel claimed to have recovered 400 locks and ₹11,200 in cash from Mr. Sardar's car, asserting his involvement in smuggling activities. It has been reported that Mr. Sardar, under duress, admitted to smuggling activities, citing lack of local employment opportunities as the driving factor. Subsequently, he was provided medical treatment and released.

The incident raises several troubling concerns. Firstly, Mr. Sardar was reportedly not handed over to the local police, a standard procedure in such cases. Instead, he was allegedly subjected to illegal confinement and physical abuse during his custody with the BSF. Such treatment starkly violates constitutional safeguards provided under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which ensures the right to life and dignity, even in custody.

Moreover, the Supreme Court of India has consistently upheld that individuals in custody must not be subjected to torture or degrading treatment, emphasizing the importance of humane treatment and adherence to legal procedures.

In light of these serious allegations, the following actions have been urged:

1. Comprehensive Investigation: A thorough and impartial investigation into the alleged torture and illegal confinement of Mr. Asmaul Sardar by BSF personnel at the Tarali Mini BOP.

2. Accountability: Legal action against the BSF personnel responsible for the human rights violations, ensuring they are held accountable under the law.

3. Compensation and Support: Provision of adequate compensation and medical care for Mr. Sardar to address the physical and mental trauma he endured.

4. Procedural Safeguards: Strict enforcement of procedural safeguards in all cases of detention and interrogation by the BSF, preventing recurrence of such incidents.

This case underscores a broader concern regarding the treatment of individuals in custody, particularly in border areas. While combating unlawful activities like smuggling is essential, it must not come at the cost of violating basic human rights. Upholding the principles of justice and dignity is imperative to maintaining trust in law enforcement agencies.

The NHRC's intervention in this matter is not just crucial for delivering justice to Mr. Sardar but also for reinforcing the commitment to human rights and the rule of law. Let this serve as a reminder that no individual, regardless of their circumstances, should be denied their fundamental rights.

---

*Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)

Comments

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Subaltern voices go digital: Three Indian projects rewriting history from the ground up

By A Representative A new wave of digital humanities (DH) work in India is shifting the focus away from university classrooms and English-language scholarship, instead prioritizing multilingual, community-driven archives that amplify subaltern voices . According to a review published in the Journal of Asian Studies , projects such as the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), the Oral History Narmada archive , and the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre are redefining how the country remembers its past — often without government funding or institutional support.

Beyond Lata: How Asha Bhosle redefined the female voice with her underrated versatility

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The news of iconic Asha Bhosle’s ‘untimely’ demise has shocked music lovers across the country. Asha Tai was 92 years young. Normally, people celebrate a passing at this age, but Asha Bhosle—much like another legend, Dev Anand—never made us feel she was growing old. She was perhaps the most versatile artist in Bombay cinema. Hailing from a family devoted to music, Asha’s journey to success and fame was not easy. Her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, had already become the voice of women in cinema, and most contemporaries like Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, and Noor Jehan had slowly faded into oblivion. Frankly, there was no second or third to Lata Mangeshkar; she became the first—and perhaps the only—choice for music directors and all those who mattered in filmmaking. Asha started her musical journey at age 10 with a Marathi film, but her first break in Hindustani cinema came with the film "Chunariya" (1948). Though she was not the first choice of ...

Search This Blog