India says BSF man’s acquittal won’t encourage border killings

India on Monday said the acquittal of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) member Amiya Ghosh in the Felani murder case would not encourage more killings along Bangladesh-India border, UNB new agency reported.

“No, it won’t. That’s not the way the Indian border gourd functions,” said Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran while replying to a question whether the acquittal will encourage more killings along the border.

On 3 July, a special court of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in Cooch Behar of India upheld its previous verdict that acquitted BSF constable Amiya Ghosh in the Bangladeshi girl Felani killing case.

The diplomat, however, said obviously the Felani incident was the most ‘unfortunate’ incident in relationship between India and Bangladesh.

“Border has to be peaceful,” he said adding that over the last three years several measures have been taken to prevent border killings.

He said both countries need to have device ways and means to ensure better coordination and understanding the border forces of the two countries. “Border killing has gone down as the trend indicates. We want to bring it down to zero,” he added.

Pankaj was speaking at a country lecture titled ‘Recent Developments in Bangladesh-India Bilateral Relations and Its Prospects’ in the city.

After the verdict, Felani’s parents and Director General (DG) of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed expressed frustration and anger over the verdict.

Felani was shot to death by BSF while she was crossing the barbed-wire fences along Anantapur border point in Kurigram district on 7 January, 2011.

Felani, who used to work as a domestic help in New Delhi, was returning home from India along with her father when she met her fate.

Although her father managed to get inside Bangladesh border by scaling up the barbed-wire fence, Felani was shot dead by the BSF men before she was able to do so.

Felani’s death triggered a huge global outcry.

After investigation, the BSF submitted the chargesheet against its constable Amiya Ghosh who shot the girl.

On 19 August, 2013, a special court constituted by the BSF had acquitted Amiya Ghosh of the charge.

Meanwhile, in the wake of widespread criticism of the acquittal, the BSF decided to revise the murder trial.