Death of 4 children due to BSF negligence in North Dinajpur unacceptable: TMC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC), on Monday, accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of negligence after four children were reportedly buried alive after a pile of soil caved in during excavation work for drainage purposes near the Indo-Bangladesh border in North Dinajpur.

Announcing that Trinamool would protest over the Chopra incident on Tuesday, TMC women’s wing president Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “The incident has shaken us as mothers…Four children, aged 5-12, fell in the dug-up area where BSF was conducting a drain expansion work. It is shocking that 4 children fell but the BSF personnel did not notice them and started putting soil on them. The children were declared dead when they were brought to the Islampur Sub-Divisional Hospital…These children had to face a tragic death due to BSF’s carelessness.”

It was learnt that a TMC delegation comprising MPs and MLAs will seek the Governor’s appointment on Tuesday to draw his attention to this issue. Further, in Chopra, the BSF office will be surrounded by TMC leaders demanding the arrest of “guilty BSF personnel”.

The party wrote on X: “Today, Uttar Dinajpur’s Chopra witnessed a heart-wrenching tragedy as 4 innocent children lost their lives during @BSF_India ‘s drain expansion work. It has now come to light that construction was ILLEGAL and done without sanctions from competent authority. HM@AmitShah, is this the ‘protection’ your force offers? Gunning down civilians? Playing fast and loose with the lives of children? We give you two options: either APOLOGISE to the bereaved families or RESIGN.”