By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 12: The UDP has condemned the alleged high-handedness of Dr Seiboklang Buam, an officer of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department, by a BSF personnel on Sunday.
Dr Buam is attached to the Muktapur Veterinary Dispensary falling under the Amlarem subdivision in West Jaintia Hills district.
UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said a report went viral on social media that the officer was manhandled, interrogated and asked to strip. He claimed the BSF personnel also allegedly threatened to shoot the officer at point-blank along the India-Bangladesh border.
“This act on the part of the BSF personnel, who is supposed to provide security along the border area, has put the entire security force in a bad light. This shameful act…is highly unbecoming and uncalled for,” Mawthoh said in a statement issued to the media on Monday.
He said the UDP has not taken the matter lightly and will apprise the Director General of BSF and the BSF Vigilance Department to initiate a probe and take appropriate action against the personnel “who went out of the way to harass the officer of the Government of Meghalaya.” He said the incident could have been easily avoided which would have helped the force to gain the trust of border residents. He stressed BSF personnel exercise restraint while dealing with locals residing along border areas.
The Meghalaya Veterinary Services Association (MVSA), which held an emergent meeting of its Central Executive Committee on Monday, also condemned the act of the “BSF personnel and his colleague” at Lakroh Shiv Mandir, Hawai Tilla in West Jaintia Hills district.
The MVSA took strong exception to the incident and resolved to apprise the highest authority of the BSF’s Meghalaya frontier headquarters.
The Association alleged the “unfortunate and uncalled for incident” traumatised the officer. It demanded a written apology from the BSF authorities concerned with an assurance that such kind of “inhumane and humiliating acts” will not recur.