Thursday, May 06, 2010

Woman was tortured, modesty was challenged by the BSF & inaction of West Bengal police

To
The Director General
Border Security Force
Block No. 10, CGO Complex
Lodhi Road
New Delhi – 3

Dear Sir

I like to inform you about an outrageous incident committed by four BSF personnel upon one 45 year old married woman (name withheld). Our organization; MASUM received information that on 24/04/2010 at around 3 am while the victim along with her husband Mr. Gopal Sarkar were busy to keep their firewood in a safe place to protect those from rain, four BSF personnel including Mr. Radheshyam; Daroga and Mr. Shukla Bangali reached at the spot, as reported by the victim. They questioned her if she saw any person passing through adjacent place or not. She replied in negative. At that very moment she was hit by Mr. Radheshyam by his baton and then accompanying BSF personnel stifled her by holding her mouth forcibly and dragged to a nearby primary school. Those BSF personnel started sexually harassing her thereafter, was also beaten by them while she tried to restrict them. They tried to rape her as reported by the victim.

Her modesty was brutally challenged by BSF personnel. After committing such act they left her in injured and senseless condition at roadside. After around one and half hour she came in sense and returned to her home.

On 24/04/2010 in the morning the victim and her family members went to Bagdah Police Station and lodged a complaint which was registered as a general diary entry (GDE) only vide no. 1384 dated 24/04/2010, ironically the complaint was not treated as an FIR proving the nexus between erring BSF personnel and local police. Though, the complaint had every content and justification to be treated as an FIR with specific criminal charges. Subsequently she was taken to Bagdah Hospital for medical treatment. But she was referred to Dr. Jiban Ratan Dhar S.D. Hospital, Bongaon. Finally, she was admitted at that hospital and got medical treatment and admitted in indoor section under Dr. P.P. Nanda in bed number F/5.

Presently the victim woman is surviving under severe mental trauma. But shamefully Bagdah PS did not initiate any criminal case against the accused BSF personnel in accordance to proper criminal charges. They even did not preserve the wears of the victim as the victim made complaint that the culprit BSF personnel tried to commit rape on her.

Hence, I am requesting you to take some urgent action as per our following demands: -

i) A specific criminal case with appropriate charges should be initiated against the involved BSF personnel
ii) An investigation should be started against the on duty police personnel of Bagdah police station on the date of complaint for not treating her complaint as an FIR;
iii) The perpetrating BSF personnel as well as the reluctant police personnel should be booked under proper penal provisions;
iv) The victim and her family should be given adequate protection and financial compensation.

Thanking you,
Yours truly,


--
Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
(MASUM)
&
National Convenor (PACTI)
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity
26 Guitendal Lane
Howrah 711101
West Bengal INDIA
Tele Fax : +91-33-2640 4118
Phone: +91-33-2640 4520
Web: www.masum.org.in