A global human rights group has urged India to take a speedy, fair and transparent criminal investigation into fresh allegations of killings, torture, and other abuses by the Border Security Force on the border with Bangladesh.
New York-based Human Rights Watch in a statement on Monday said those against whom there was credible evidence of culpability should be prosecuted as part of an effort to end longstanding impunity for abuses along the border with Bangladesh.
The statement, styled 'India: New killings, torture at Bangladeshi border—revised instructions from Delhi not stamping out abuses' said there had been some new cases of killings despite India's assurance that India would take steps to uphold human rights.
The renewed call by Human Rights Watch came following its 2010-report, titled 'Trigger Happy' that had documented extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture, and ill-treatment by the BSF.
The call also coincided with India's ruling alliance leader Sonia Gandhi's 24-hour tour of Dhaka to attend an international conference on autism. Sonia arrived in Dhaka late Sunday.
The HRW statement has said in the past decade, the BSF has killed both Indian and Bangladeshi nationals. After the release of the report, Indian authorities assured Bangladeshi officials that these killings would be stopped, it said.
The government announced that it would order restraint and encourage the use of rubber bullets instead of more lethal ammunition, steps welcomed by the human rights group.
While the number of deaths due to shooting has substantially decreased in 2011, the Bangladeshi non-governmental organisation Odhikar has documented at least 17 alleged killings of Bangladeshis by the border force and other instances of severe abuse since January.
Local groups have documented several cases of deaths as a result of severe beatings by the BSF, the HRW said.
'Despite orders from New Delhi to end killings and abuse and to exercise restraint in dealing with people crossing the border, new deaths and other serious abuses are being reported,' said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director for Human Rights Watch.
'The government has issued some positive new directives, but it needs to prosecute those who commit abuses so the soldiers will understand they can't act with impunity.'
Source : New Age
