The family of a Dalit man in Bengal’s Murshidabad district has complained that he has been missing after the Border Security Force (BSF) picked him up on Sunday. They say the BSF authorities are refusing to answer questions about his whereabouts.
Rajkumar Mondal (32), a resident of the Char Sahebnagar village in the district’s Raninagar II block, was reportedly detained by two BSF jawans and taken to the local border outpost.
No reason cited: brotherRajkumar’s younger brother Chittaranjan Mondal told The Hindu that the jawans from No. 4, Battalion No. 83 entered the village around 11.30 am and started beating up his brother for no apparent reason. He said the jawans resorted to a lathi charge when the locals asked them why they were detaining Rajkumar.
‘Boulder placed on chest’“When they were taking my brother to the local Harudanga camp, the jawans had placed a heavy boulder on his chest. I am afraid he has succumbed to the torture,” said Chittranjan Mondal.
Locals said that the family members went to the local Raninagar police station the next day to lodge a complaint, but they were turned away.
“The officials at the police station told us that since the BSF is involved, it will take some time to look into the matter. They told us to wait for two days. But nothing has been done so far,” said Chittaranjan Mondal.
No information: officialAn official of the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF said they had no information about the incident.
Superintendent of Police, Murshidabad, Mukesh Kumar could not be reached on the phone.
Earlier this month, another Dalit man allegedly died in police custody in Birbhum district and there has been no arrest in the case so far.
