The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to pay ₹5 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of a 23-year-old man from West Bengal North 24 Paraganas who was allegedly killed by personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) in February 2014.
“The human rights of the deceased, Sohag Sahjee, have been prima facie found to have been violated at the hands of the BSF personnel, for which the State is vicariously liable to compensate the NoK [next of kin] of the deceased,” an order of the NHRC stated.
The development comes almost three years after the NHRC took cognisance of the matter on the basis of complaint lodged by Kirity Roy, Secretary of a non government organisation MASUM (Manabhadhikar Suraksha Mancha), through an email dated May 5, 2014.
He was a smuggler: BSF
According to a report submitted by the BSF to the NHRC, Sohag Sahjee was one of four smugglers who jumped into the Sonai river on February 22, 2014 along the India-Bangladesh border to escape the security forces.
While three of the smugglers managed to swim across the river, Sohag Sahjee drowned.
However, the district police which investigated the case came up with a completely different version of the incident.
“On appraisal of evidence adduced during the course of investigation, the I.O. (Investigating Officer) concluded that both the BSF personnel pelted Sohag Sahjee with stones when he was taking bath in Sonai River and did not allow his uncle to save him,” the NHRC said.
Though a trial in the matter is on under the BSF Act, the NHRC said it did not consider it necessary to wait for the outcome.
Sohag Sahjee’s father Nur Islam Sahjee told The Hindu that he was present about 50 to 100 metres from the spot where the incident occurred. “My son was bathing in the river when the stones thrown by BSF personnel hit him on the head. The BSF personnel were aiming at the smugglers and hit my son instead,” he said.
