The Border Security Force on Friday filed a complaint against three minor girls, accusing them of trying to obstruct the BSF personnel from delivering their duties.
The complaint was filed three days after one of the girls — all Class X students in Cooch Behar district — had filed a complaint with the police, alleging that a woman BSF constable had harassed and assaulted them when they stopped her from frisking them in an improper manner.
On Tuesday, the girls were returning home from school after appearing in their test exams. They reside at a village which is near the border. On the way to the village, there is a BSF camp. The BSF personnel posted in the camp check bags and other luggage of the villagers in a routine manner to prevent smuggling.
“A woman constable intercepted us. She checked our school bags and then started frisking our clothes in an improper manner. As we objected, she thrashed us and told us that if we made any move, she would kill our families. Also, some other BSF personnel reached the spot and threatened us in similar terms. We somehow left the place and reached our homes,” said the girl who later filed a complaint with the police.
After the incident, the girls were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Residents of the village said after BSF officials came to know about the complaint, they contacted the pradhan and some members of the local panchayat and insisted that they should tell the girl to withdraw the complaint.
“Yesterday, these elected representatives reached the girl’s house and requested her to take back her complaint. The girl and her family blatantly refused and we also stood in their support. Such denial, we believe, prompted the BSF to file a counter-complaint today,” said a villager.
Another resident of the village questioned that if the girls had “obstructed” the woman constable and others from carrying out their duties, they should have called the local police.
“Also, they should have filed the complaint on the same day. Why did it take three days for them to decide? It is evident that they are acting out of vengeance. We want the administration to intervene as many of us apprehend that we too, might face a similar consequence,” he said.
Dyutiman Bhattacharya, the superintendent of police of Cooch Behar, confirmed that the BSF has filed a complaint.
“The BSF too, has filed the complaint. We are probing the case based on the complaints filed from both sides,” he said.
Such a move by the BSF has led to repercussions in the high school where the girls study.
“It is an unprecedented move by the BSF. They have filed a complaint against three minor girls after harassing and assaulting them. We have informed the MLA and also north Bengal development minister Udayan Guha. This cannot be tolerated,” said president of the school’s managing committee.
Over the past few years, a number of Trinamul leaders, state ministers and even chief minister Mamata Banerjee have time and again slammed the BSF for resorting to highhandedness at the borders.
They have referred to a number of incidents where people have been shot dead, assaulted and harassed by members of the central force under different pretexts.
Guha, who is from Cooch Behar, said: “I will inform chief minister Mamata Banerjee about the incident and will also flag the issue at the Assembly. Such atrocities of the BSF and their plans to harass three minor girls to conceal their own wrongdoings, is unacceptable.”
