The Border Security Force (BSF) has suspended four of its officials for alleged procedural lapses in connection with the killing of two suspected Bangladeshi cattle smugglers along the border in West Bengal earlier this week.
The officials removed from active duty include an Assistant Sub-inspector and three Non-Commissioned Officers, reports PTI on Friday.
Two Bangladeshis were killed in firing during the intervening night of June 11-12 when they were allegedly trying to smuggle in cattle from across the border in South Bengal frontier of the force.
A Border Security Force (BSF) patrol, including these personnel, tried to stop them but were beaten up with lathis, following which the troops opened fire killing two Bangladeshi nationals and injuring another.
However, the four officials were found to have not reported the incident correctly to their superiors, after which they were placed under suspension for “procedural lapses”.
BSF officials, however, said the encounter and firing was genuine and carried out by following all proper procedures but the act of not providing correct details and sequence of the incident proved costly for these men for which an inquiry is underway.
A court of inquiry has also been ordered against the four officials.
The BSF Act has specific clauses for those who do not carry out their duties properly and hence they have been booked under these charges and not on the clauses of fake encounter, they said.
The suspended officials were also badly injured in the incident and are under medical care now, sources said.
Meanwhile, Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday expressed sorrow over the killing of two Bangladeshi cattle traders along Putkhali border here on Wednesday.
Rendering apology to Jessore regional commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Brig Gen Rabiul Ibn Quamrul over phone, BSF Kolkata regional commander Inspector General Santosh Mehera termed the incident ‘unexpected’.
He also informed that an investigation was launched against the accused BSF men. “Legal action will be taken against them if they were proved guilty.”
Commanding officer Lt Col Tayeful Haque of BGB Battalion-23 said as per the border agreement, the BSF members cannot shoot unarmed Bangladeshis to death.
Two Bangladeshi cattle traders — Habibur Rahman, 25, son of Chand Ali of Barupota village, and Faruque Hossain, 26, son of Sobet Ali at Basatpur in Sharsha upazila, were shot dead and two others injured by the BSF members along Putkhali border in the early hours of Wednesday.(Source: UNB)
