BSF jawan killing: Two Bangladesh border officers transferred
It has conveyed its decisions while expressing regret to the BSF during two meetings on October 22 and 29.
Kolkata: The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has transferred its two senior officers and also initiated court martial proceedings against its havildar who shot dead BSF head constable Vijay Bhan Singh and injured his colleague Rajbir Singh when they were returning to Kakmarichar in Murshi-dabad of West Bengal across Padma river after a flag meeting on an Indian fisherman’s detention by the BGB at Charghat in Bangladesh on October 17.
It has conveyed its decisions while expressing “regret” to the BSF during two meetings on October 22 and 29. On the other hand, the BSF has also found its troops’ violations in the standard operating procedures (SOP) during the flag meeting. It has started a Court of Inquiry against a team of three personnel, including a sub-inspector posted at Kakmarichar. The BSF will also raise the incident of shooting with the BGB during the Director General (DG)-level meeting to be held next month.
Speaking during the 55th BSF Raising Day celebration at BSF Camp Tagore Villa in Kolkata on Sunday, BSF (South Bengal Frontier Headqu-arters) DIG S.S.Guleria said, “After the firing, we held two meetings with the BGB regional commanders of Jessore and Rangpur. We placed our versions before them.”
What had happened when our jawan went for the flag meeting never occurred in the history. So we strongly raised this issue during our meetings.”
He elaborated, “So we strongly raised this issue during our meetings. The BGB told us that its sector commander, in DIG rank, of the area and the commandant of the BGB battalion no 1 were transferred. Court martial proceedings have been started against the havildar who opened the fire. He has been attached already. Whatever be the outcome, will be conveyed to us.”
Mr Guleria added, “The BGB has given us assurance that they are taking steps into the incident. If they do not follow it, our strategies will also be different so that such incidents do not recur. If anything happens in the border again, we are also prepared with our strategies. We also have arms and training. One of the two meetings took place at Benapole where BGB regional commander (Jessore) came with his team. They were very apologetic about the incident.”
He noted, “They assured us that the incident should be taken into as isolation. The second meeting took place at Mahadipur in our area of responsibility where BGB regional commander (Rangpur) came. The BGB battalion commandant was also there. They regretted the incident. We already lodged an FIR with the police mentioning the names of the unit commandant and head constable. As a result they cannot come to India in future.”
Mr Guleria pointed out, “They assured us that their head constable will be court martialled. The DG-level meeting will take place next month. The issue will be discussed there. There has been violations of SOP from our side also. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered. Action is being taken against whosoever violated the SOP. We have given strict instructions to all of our field formations that whenever there is a flag meeting, we must follow the procedure which says though we are friendly countries and discussing all the issues, but security should not be taken casually.”