cruel, inhuman & degrading punishment by BSF upon the marginalised villagers

West Bengal

CASE NO: 1

Name of the victim: - Mr. Abdul, son of Late Yunus Alam, aged about-35 years, by faith-Muslim, by profession- Cultivator, resided at village-Banganbari, Police Station-Goalpokhor, Sub-Division: Islampur, District-North Dinajpur, West Bengal.

Name of the Perpetrators: - Some on-duty Border Security Force jawans posted on 9.04.2011 at about 3:00 pm under Chaklagar BSF Camp of Battalion-25, Police Station-Goalpokhor, District-North Dinajpur.

Time and Date of incident: - 9/04/2011 at about 3:00 pm.

Place of incident: - Near Out-post no: 25 of B.O.P Chaklagar, Battalion No: 23 Border Security Force.

Case Details:-

It is revealed during our fact finding that Mr. Abdul who belongs to a marginalized minority (muslim) community and economically backward class was subjected to arbitrary atrocities by some BSF personnel.

On 9^th April 2011 at about 3 pm the victim Mr. Abdul went to harvest his land and cut up the wheat produced there. In the process of doing so he went near to Gate no: 25 of the out post which is under Chaklagar B.O.P. Battalion no: 23. While he was returning from Gate no: 25 under Chaklagar B.O.P. some BSF personnel posted on Gate no: 25 Chaklagar B.O.P. Battalion no: 23 restrained his way without any cause and ordered Abdul to come inside their camp. Then all of a sudden they started to use filthy languages indicating his pedigree. All the perpetrator jawans were alleged to be drunk at that moment. Even they illegally snatched his sickle from his hand and attempted to kill him by their rifles. A woman who was passing by at that time in front of the place of occurrence appeared there and rescued the victim by begging to the BSF for his life. The victim was also threatened by the perpetrators that if he ever lodges any complaint against the BSF in this regard he’ll be shot to death. It is significant to point out here that the barbed wire fencing is ½ kilometre inside the Indo-Bangladesh Border. Right now the victim is suffering from mental trauma and insecurity as this torture by BSF effected him psychologically. The victim sent a written complaint to the Officer-in-charge of Goalpokhor Police Station and the Block Development Office of Goalpokhor –I Block, North Dinajpur which was received by them accordingly. But all are in vain. No steps have been taken till date.

CASE NO : 2

Name of the victim: - Mr. Biswanath Soren, son of Late Mr. Deben Soren, aged about-70 years, Scheduled Tribe, by profession- Landless agricultural labourer, resided at village-Indra colony, Police Station-Goalpokhor, Sub-District: Islampur, District-North Dinajpur, West Bengal.

Name of the Perpetrators: - Some on-duty Border Security Force jawans posted on 9.04.2011 at about 4:00 pm under Chaklagar BSF Camp of Battalion-23, Police Station-Goalpokhor, District-North Dinajpur.

Time and Date of incident: - 9/04/2011 at about 4:00 pm.

Place of incident: - Near Out-Post no: 25 of B.O.P Chaklagar, Battalion No: 23 Border Security Force.

Case Details

It was revealed during our fact finding the victim Mr. Biswanath Soren is a senior citizen of India, belonging to the Scheduled Tribe community. He is living under grave poverty and fending himself with his family by working as an agricultural labourer.

On 9/04/2011 at about 4:00 pm the victim was passing nearby to Out-Post no: 25 of B.O.P Chaklagar, Battalion No: 23 Border Security Force. Meanwhile some BSF Personnel restrained him. They were started to use slang indicating the victim without any cause. As it hurt the dignity of the victim, Mr Biswanath Soren requested the perpetrators to stop using filthy languages which attacked his dignity. All the BSF jawans were intoxicated at that time. Even after the request of the victim they did not stop using filthy languages. Moreover the on duty BSF personnel with sophisticated arms were also threatened to kill him by showing him their service rifles (insus). The things get worst when perpetrators assaulted the victim by pushing him on ground near the barbed wire fencing and attempted to kill him. He literally begged for mercy to save himself. The perpetrators then released the victim from their custody. It is relevant to mention here that the barbed wire fencing is situated 30 metres inside the Indo-Bangladesh Border. The victim sent a written complaint to the Officer-in-Charge of Goalpokhor Police Station and the Block Development Office of Goalpokhor –I Block, North Dinajpur which was received by them accordingly. However no steps have been taken till date.

CASE NO: 3

Name of the victim: - Mr. Abu Sama, son of Late Mr. Abdul Khalil, aged about-25 years, by faith-Muslim, by profession- Agrarian labourer, resided at village- South Goalin, Police Station- Goalpokhor, Sub-District: Islampur, District-North Dinajpur, West Bengal.

Name of the Perpetrators: -. BSF camp commander and 2 BSF jawans posted at Teengaon BSF camp.

Time and Date of incident: - 13/04/2011 at about 1:00 am.

Place of incident: - At the residence of the victim Mr. Abu Sama, South Goalin, Police Station- Goalpokhor, Sub-District: Islampur, District-North Dinajpur, West Bengal.

Case Details:

It was revealed during our fact finding that Mr Abu Sama is a person belongs to the minority community and an indigent background. He is living in the South Goalin village with his wife and two little children under a poor economic condition. On 13/04/2011 at midnight the Company Commander of Teengaon Camp accompanied with two BSF jawans entered inside the dwelling house of the victim on a false pretence of searching the house. They broke the door and entered the house forcefully. Even though there was no search warrant issued in this regard. After entering to the victim’s house they used filthy degrading languages indicating the religion of the victim. When protested by the victim the perpetrators started to beat him up mercilessly with their batons. The BSF personnel then caused severe damage to his mud house by breaking the tiled roof. It is also relevant to mention here that nothing illegal was found from the house of the victim even after searching. The victim was also threatened by the perpetrators that he’ll be killed if he tries to open his mouth in this matter. The victim got severely injured, the marks of which are still evident on his body when our team visited the area. The victim sent a written complaint to the Officer-in-charge of Goalpokhor Police Station and the Block Development Office of Goalpokhor –I Block, North Dinajpur which was received by them accordingly. However no steps have been taken till date.

Report by:
Kirity Roy