10 June 2013

 

To

The Chairman

National Human Rights Commission

Faridkot House

Copernicus Marg

New Delhi

 

Respected Sir

I want to draw your attention on an incident of gruesome killing of a minor boy by Border Security Force personnel. The deceased was at his age of 14 years and a student of local school. His father was a migrant labour and belongs to Scheduled Caste community. On the fateful day, the boy was dragged to the BSF camp and tortured to death. Then his body was thrown to the opposite side of the border; Bangladeshi land to hide their atrocious act. Few of the villagers were witnessed the incident of deceased being taken to the BSF camp by the BSF personnel. The police have started a criminal case against unnamed BSF personnel but I have serious doubt on the credibility of the police investigation when the accused are personnel attached with BSF.

I am attaching the detail of the incident which is self explanatory in nature and demand for:-

  • The incident must be investigated by the Commission
  • The involved BSF personnel must be booked and subsequently prosecuted
  • The witnesses and family members of the deceased must be protected and their safety and security maintained
  • The family must be duly compensated

 

Sincerely Yours

 

 

(Kirity Roy)

Secretary

 

 

Name of the victim :-   Master Sourabh Shikari son of Mr. Utanka Shikari aged about 14 years , a student of Class IX at local school, belong to Schedule Caste community,  resident of  village- Dharampur,  Post Office- Putikhali, Block- Krishnanagar, Police station- Krishnaganj, District- Nadia, West Bengal.

Name of the perpetrator :-  Two Border Security Force(BSF) personnel  from  Tungi  BSF camp, attached with ‘F’ company of BSF Battalion 173 who were in duty from 11pm to 5 am and Company Commander of 173 BSF Battalion.

Place of incident:-  Adjoining alley of  Tungi BSF camp and Tungi BSF Camp under Krishnaganj Police Station of Nadia district.

Date and Time of the incident: –  On 10th May 2013 in between 10.30 pm to 11pm.

 

Case Detail:-

It is revealed during our fact finding that the deceased was a minor boy. He was a student of class IX standard of  Majdia Rail Bazar High School. The victim is belonged to a schedule caste family. His father Mr. Utanka Shikari is a mason and migrant laborer; he usually lived in Mumbai for his employment.  Mrs. Mamata Shikari the mother of the deceased stayed at their native with her two daughters Ms. Swati Shikari(13) and Ms. Jyoti Shikari (13) and the deceased in extreme financial hardships. The said area having overwhelming population of ‘Matua’ a scheduled caste community of Bengal, renowned for their religious fervors.

 

Mrs. Mamata Shikari is a renowned devotional singer of that area.  On 10th may 2013 a ‘ nam sankirtan’ (devotional music programme) was arranged at the house of Mr. Sujit Biswas . Usually this type of programme concluded at late night. On the said night while Ms. Mamata Biswas was performing at the said household; at around 10 pm the deceased returned back to his home to charge his mother’s mobile phone, after that he took the alley adjoining to the fence as he was scared of snakes at the usual road.    At that time two BSF personnel from Tungi BSF camp apprehended him on suspicion that he was a smuggler and dragged him to the said BSF camp. Some villagers saw the incident. They were Ms. Suchitra Biswas; wife of Mr. Ananta Biswas, Mr. Shukdev Roy; son of Mr. Shailen Roy and Mr. Pijush Bhakta; son of Late Subhash Bhakta; all residents of village – Dharampur under Krishnaganj police station. Few villagers heard the lament of the deceased made feeble protests out of BSF terror, the BSF personnel then said ‘come tomorrow morning at camp with member of panchayet and get him released’. But the hapless boy was tortured throughout the night at the said BSF camp.

 

Next day; on 11th May 2013 the family members of the deceased went to the Tungi BSF camp to get him released, the said BSF personnel at camp out rightly denied any arrest and subsequent custody at their camp. At around 5.30 am some farmers discovered the victim’s body at the opposite side (Bangladesh) of the border, while they were at their agrarian field.  The villagers univocally alleged that the BSF after killing the boy threw the body at the opposite side of the border to hide their atrocious act. On the same day Mr. Ananda Shikari, uncle of the deceased lodged a complaint in Krishnaganj Police Station which was registered as case number 113/2013 dated 11.5. 2013, under sections 364/302/201/34 of Indian Penal Code. Prior to that an unnatural death case was registered vide Krishnaganj PS UD Case No. 22/13 dated 11.5.2013.

 

On the same day under supervision of Krishnanagar Police Station the BSF personnel of Tungi BSF camp arranged a flag meeting with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and got back the body. On the same day the victim’s body was sent to Police Morgue, Shaktinagar, Krishnanagar, district – Nadia for post mortem examination and the same was done by Dr. AK Biswas; MO, Medico Legal, Nadia District Hospital  vide Post Mortem number- 461/2013 dated 11/05/2013 and body was handed over to the family for cremation.

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Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha
(MASUM)
&
National Convenor (PACTI)
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity
40A, Barabagan Lane (4th Floor)
Balaji Place
Shibtala
Srirampur
Hooghly
PIN- 712203
Tele-Fax – +91-33-26220843
Phone- +91-33-26220844 / 0845
e. mail : [email protected]
Web: www.masum.org.in