Shillong, June 20: A woman identified as Martina Pohshna from Kuliang village in East Jaintia Hills has accused the BSF personnel for manhandling her, sexually molesting her 15 year old daughter and also assaulting her husband on Wednesday night at around 11.30pm.
The BSF on the other hand has countered by accusing that the local villagers for facilitating the smuggling of Bangladeshi even as it has alleged that an Indian woman attacked a BSF person with an axe, resulting in an injury on his right hand.
The BSF also claimed that another BSF personnel sustained injury in his left hand due to stone pelting.
In the FIR which was lodged with Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Police Patrol Post at Umkiang, Pohshna said that three people who claimed to be BSF who did not wear any uniform had forcefully entered her house by kicking the door when they were still having food.
According to her, the three BSF personnel then attacked and assaulted her husband identified as Shanroi Lyngdoh Lynkhoi while he was still washing his hands after having his food.
“I had screamed along with my daughter after seeing my husband being beaten up by the BSF personnel. They continued to attack my husband without any provocation from our part. They took an axe from our house and they tried to attack us with it along with a knife which they had brought. Along with my daughter we tried to snatch the axe but we were overpowered by these criminals,” Poshna said.
She further stated that the three criminals pulled her husband outside the house and continued to attack him mercilessly till his ribs were broken.
“We did try to save him from the attack. But we were overpowered by them. After attacking us very badly, they left our house,” the woman said.
Meanwhile, she alleged that the three people again came on June 20 at around 12.30am along with more than 15 people and again started assaulting her husband and beat him up mercilessly.
According to her, they had even snatched her daughter’s phone and even sexually molested her.
“I tried to save my daughter from their hands but in doing so they kicked me from my back and my whole body was hurt by the attack. They even grabbed my daughter’s mouth forcefully which resulted in pain. They even threatened to shoot us and even pointed their guns towards us. We pleaded not to shoot,” the woman claimed
While leaving their house, she said that they threatened her daughter that they will see her when she comes to Umkiang.
“Later today, I learnt that the assaulters are BSF personnel. My daughter can identify these criminals if confronted. Therefore, I wish to request your good office to kindly register a case under appropriate provision of law and to find out the culprit and to arrest them as per law,” she stated.
In the FIR, she mentioned that a short video of the attack was duly recorded by one of the villagers which can be used as evidence.
Meanwhile, East Jaintia Hills SP, Giri Prasad M informed that they have registered a case after the FIR was received at Khliehriat women police station and investigation is on.
Stating that since the victims claim they are BSF and they can identify them, the SP said that they will do the needful during investigation and identify the perpetrators.
He further informed that the BSF also is submitting a FIR in this regard and they will be registering a case on receiving of the FIR.
Meanwhile, the BSF claimed that a group of 30-35 Bangladeshi smugglers facilitated by local Indian villagers infiltrated into Indian territory through the unfenced area of Border Outpost (BOP) Kuliang, under their jurisdiction on June 19 at around 9pm.
In a statement, BSF PRO, Vijay Godara said that the aim of the intruders was to receive sugar consignments from Indian smugglers of village Kuliang.
He said that upon receiving this information, a special BSF party was immediately rushed to the spot. As the BSF personnel approached, the Bangladeshi miscreants attempted to flee towards Kuliang village.
“During the pursuit, the BSF party was confronted by local villagers in order to give safe passage to the Bangladeshi smugglers, who jointly began pelting stones on BSF personnel and hurled abusive language and threats,” the BSF PRO said.
Godara further said that in the ensuing altercation, an Indian woman attacked a BSF person with an axe, resulting in an injury on his right hand adding that another BSF person sustained injury in his left hand due to stone pelting. The situation was promptly reported to the local police patrol post –Umkiang under PS- Lumshnong , East Jaintia Hills district.
“It is important to highlight that Kuliang village is situated in close proximity to the international border, making it a vulnerable and smuggling-prone area. Local Indian smugglers often store large quantities of sugar in their houses or designated points, which is later smuggle into Bangladesh with the assistance of Bangladeshi smugglers, exploiting unfenced patches and adverse weather conditions,” the BSF PRO said
He further informed that the BSF troops in the Kuliang area since January 2024 have seized more than 100,000 kgs of sugar, preventing significant cross-border smuggling attempts.
The BSF PRO urges local residents in border areas to refrain from engaging in illegal activities and to avoid facilitating Bangladeshi smugglers in cross-border smuggling activities.
“It has been a routine affair for the Indian villagers engaged in illegal activities to confront the BSF whenever it tries to execute its mandated duty to prevent smuggling along the International border,” he said.
Godara said that the BSF remains committed to perform its duties around the clock to prevent trans-border crimes. In light of this incident, BSF is lodging a protest note with the Border Guard Bangladesh regarding the illegal crossing of Bangladeshi smugglers into Indian territory.