BSF to investigate killing of youth in south Tripura

It has constituted a Court of Inquiry for the same

The Border Security Force (BSF) has constituted a Court of Inquiry in connection with a shooting incident at a border village in south Tripura that killed a 28-year-old youth on February 1. It said the inquiry had been ordered ‘keeping highest standard of professionalism and transparency’ of the force.

The incident occurred at Devipur under the Rishyamukh Rural Development Block in south Tripura. Victim Jashim Mia, who was trying to rescue his father from alleged assault by BSF personnel, was shot dead from point blank range.

Jashim’s father Khalek reportedly landed in a brawl with BSF men after he went to graze cattle in a field close to the border. Local residents staged protests over the killing and they denied that Jashim, a college graduate, was not involved in any ‘smuggling’ activity as claimed by a section of security circles.

BSF’s Tripura Frontier Headquarters, in a statement, gave its version of the incident. It claimed that a BSF jawan fired one shot ‘by using non-lethal weapon (PAG) in his self defence’ when attacked. It claimed that one of the BSF personnel was seriously injured in the melee and he had to be hospitalised.

The local police are carrying out investigation on two separate FIRs, one registered by the family of deceased and the other by the BSF. “It is premature to comment upon the outcome of the investigation till it is completed,” the statement said.

“Keeping the highest standard of professionalism and transparency maintained by the BSF administration, an independent court of inquiry has been ordered under BSF Act and Rules”, it said.

The BSF officials and post commander were shifted from their deployment in Devipur to ensure that they did not influence the course of investigation by police and departmental inquiry, it added.

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