Woman ‘assaulted’ by BSF personnel, complaint lodged

BALURGHAT: A woman was allegedly assaulted by Border Security Force (BSF) jawans on Sunday night after protesting against the forceful stoppage of her house construction under the state-run ‘Banglar Bari’ scheme. The incident took place in the Ujal area under Hili Police Station, close to the Indo-Bangladesh border, creating widespread unrest among locals.

According to reports, Neha Chauhan, a resident of Ujal village, was supervising construction work just 30 metre from the international border fence when a BSF jawan intervened around 6 pm, instructing the labourers to halt the work. Neha pleaded for a little more time to finish the ongoing task but the jawan allegedly responded with verbal abuse, leading to a confrontation.

Later that evening, while the Chauhan family was having dinner, a group of BSF personnel reportedly stormed into their home and physically assaulted them. Neha was allegedly beaten with a baton on her hands and legs. She also accused one of the jawans of molesting her during the assault. Her teenage daughter was also reportedly attacked while trying to protect her mother. The family further alleged that the BSF personnel threatened them with dire consequences.

Following the incident, the family informed a local Panchayat member and sought medical treatment. Neha filed a written complaint with the Hili Police, who have since launched an investigation based on her statement.

Speaking to the press, Neha said: “We requested the jawan for a little more time to finish work but instead, we were attacked. They even prevented neighbours from helping us. I have injuries on my hands and legs. I want justice.”

Hili Police Station’s IC, Shirshendu Das, confirmed receiving the complaint and stated that an investigation is underway.

The BSF is yet to issue an official response, while contacted.

Locals claim this is not the first instance of BSF high-handedness in the area.