From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: On the recommendation of the NHRC, the Union Home Ministry has paid Rs.8 lakh as monetary relief to the four members of a family who became victims of atrocities committed by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near Border Out Post, Amzadnagar in South Tripura.
The NHRC informed that the Commission recommended compensation after the police enquiry report, in response to its notices, confirmed the allegations that the three constables of BSF were prima facie guilty of attempting to rape a girl, killing her father and injuring her two brothers, who came to rescue her.
Out of the total amount of Rs.8 lakh, Rs.5 lakh was paid to the next of kin of the deceased father, Rs.2 lakh to the girl and Rs.50 thousand each to her two brothers.
As per reports, a BSF constable tried to drag a girl towards the jungle by pressing her mouth with bad intentions on November 29, 2010. However, she managed to release her mouth and shouted for help. Her elder brother came to help her but the accused constable hit him with a stick on his head. Hearing the commotion, the father of the girl along with his younger son and other villagers rushed to the spot. Meanwhile, the constable had called his colleagues for help and one of them fired from his service weapon, killing the father and injuring his younger son.
Earlier, the Commission, based on the replies of the concerned authorities, had observed that the Staff Court of Enquiry held by the BSF had absolved its three personnel involved in the criminal offence.
It also noted that this was almost invariably the case with the BSF’s Court of Enquiry, staffed by junior officers, whose primary concern seemed to be to protect their colleagues rather than to uphold the Law. However, neither the Government of India responded to the Commission’s show cause notice, nor forwarded the report of the Staff Court of Enquiry to it to find out the truth behind the exoneration of BSF personnel by the Staff Court of Enquiry.
Therefore, the Commission presumed that the Government of India had nothing to say in the matter and recommended payment of monetary relief to the victims.