After suspension,probe ordered into BSF ‘torture’ video

A day after a video clip showing a youth being stripped and beaten up by Border Security Force jawans in a Murshidabad village along the India-Bangladesh border emerged,the BSF on Thursday suspended the eight jawans allegedly involved in the incident and initiated a high-level inquiry.

“The jawans who allegedly beat up the youth have been suspended and are being interrogated at the DIG office at Behrampore. The probe is being conducted by an officer of Commandant rank,and action against the jawans would be taken under the BSF Acts and Rules,” Ravi Kumar Panoth,IG (South Bengal frontier),BSF,told The Indian Express over the phone.

On December 9,the youth,suspected to be a cattle smuggler,crossed the border with 37 cattle before he was intercepted by BSF jawans who allegedly demanded money from him. When the youth refused,it is alleged that the jawans beat him up. Someone recorded the incident in a mobile phone and the video clip came to light on Wednesday.

“Since we have our own court,no police complaint has been registered against the accused,they will be tried in our court,” IG Panoth said.