Human rights leader blames BSF for migrant worker's death off Assam-Bangladesh border

Family members of the deceased

By Our Representative
A senior human rights defender has complained of "barbaric, illegitimate and unjustified killing" of a young migrants worker, Musa Miah, at the Indo-Bangladesh border district of Dhubri in Assam, allegedly by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, claiming, "This incident again proves our stand that the BSF resorted in reign of terror and systematic killing of innocents at Indo-Bangladesh border and enjoying full impunity."
In a representation to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, Kirity Roy, convenor, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha, and national convenor, Programme Against Custodial Torture and Impunity, said, "The deceased was killed by BSF personnel of Madhya Balabhut Border Out Post of BSF Battalion Number 62, ‘A’ Company."
Worse, he said, the uncle of deceased Nur Islam lodged a written complaint to the Officer-in-Charge of Tufanganj Police Station in the district of Cooch Behar on January 1, 2023, "but till date no appropriate actions have been taken." Ironically, the incident, which took place on in December-end, 2022, happened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with his counterpart in Bangladesh (September 5 to 8, 2022), "publicly declared to reduce border killing to zero level", he added.
Regretting that the border security forces of India, paid from public exchequer, are systematically dishonouring the decision, Roy said, "The killing and subsequent police inaction was in total contravention of NHRC's ‘Revised Guidelines/ Procedures to be followed in courses of deaths caused in police action’." The complaint, however, does not cite any reason for BSF taking the deceased into custody before allegedly torturing him to death.
"There were some procedural violations in this case. In spite of being handed over the victim to the concerned police, BSF personnel kept the victim in their custody for more than 24 hours and tortured him mercilessly which violates section 76 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Article 22 (2) of the Indian Constitution", the human rights defender said.

"It is also to be noted that under section 176 (1) (A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure it is mandatory to inquest the dead body of the victim of custodial death case by one judicial magistrate, but in this case no judicial magistrate conducted an inquest over the body of the victim", he noted, pointing out, on January 23, 2020 Supreme Court of India issued notice to the Centre and States on implementation of section 176 (1) (A)."
Stating that the matter "is a grave one which proves the collapse of the criminal justice system in our country", Roy said, "Inaction of the police officials of Tufanganj Police Station violates section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and apex court guidelines in Lalita Kumari vs State of Uttar Pradesh [WP (Crl.) no. 68 of 2008] where it is mandatory to register an FIR after receiving information of a cognizable offence."
Seeking "independent judicial inquiry must be started over the incident", Roy insisted, "The perpetrator BSF personnel attached with Madhya Balabhut Border Out Post, ‘A’ company, 62 Battalion must be booked under appropriate legal provisions and be tried in open court of law", and the "complaint of the uncle of the deceased must be registered as an FIR."
Seeking "financial compensation and adequate safety and security of the family members and witnesses", Roy demanded, "For proper enquiry and investigation, the body of Musa Miah be exhumed". He adding, "To stop such systematic killings with impunity, NHRC should come forward and arrange some sensitizing meetings with senior BSF, Police, Civil Administration to address the situation."

Comments

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar* Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

Kerala government data implicates the Covid vaccines for excess deaths

By Bhaskaran Raman* On 03 Dec 2024, Mr Unnikrishnan of the Indian Express had written an article titled: “Kerala govt data busts vaccine death myth; no rise in mortality post-Covid”. It claims “no significant change in the death rate in the 35-44 age group between 2019 and 2023”. However, the claim is obviously wrong, even to a casual observer, as per the same data which the article presents, as explained below.

PM-JUGA: Support to states and gram sabhas for the FRA implementation and preparation and execution of CFR management plan

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan* (Over the period, under 275(1), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided fund to the states for FRA implementation. Besides, some states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra allocated special fund for FRA implementation. Now PM-JUDA under “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan(DAJGUA) lunched by Prime Minister on 2nd October 2024 will not only be the major source of funding from MoTA to the States/UTs, but also will be the major support to the Gram sabha for the preparation and execution of CFR management Plan).

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

How Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar reflects frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion, empowerment

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Dr. B.R. Ambedkar remains the liberator and emancipator of India’s oppressed communities. However, attempts to box him between two Brahmanical political parties betray a superficial and self-serving understanding of his legacy. The statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha was highly objectionable, reflecting the frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion and empowerment.

This book delves deep into Maoism's historical, social, and political dimensions in India

By Harsh Thakor* "Storming the Gates of Heaven" by Amit Bhattacharya is a comprehensive study of the Indian Maoist movement. Bhattacharya examines the movement's evolution, drawing from numerous sources and showcasing his unwavering support for Charu Mazumdar's path and practice. The book, published in 2016, delves deeply into the movement's historical, social, and political dimensions.

Ideological assault on dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti will disturb pluralistic legacy: Modi told

Counterview Desk Letter to the Prime Minister about "a matter of the utmost concern affecting our country's social fabric": *** We are a group of independent citizens who over the past few years have made efforts to improve the deteriorating communal relations in the country. It is abundantly clear that over the last decade relations between communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, and to an extent Christians are extremely strained leaving these latter two communities in extreme anxiety and insecurity.

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

Search This Blog