BSF Denies Bangladesh’s Allegation of Shooting 13-Year-Old Girl Near Tripura Border

Key Points :

1. BSF denied Bangladesh’s accusation of shooting 13-year-old Shwarna Das near the Tripura border.
2. BSF found the girl’s body during routine patrol on September 1 near the Laitapura Border Outpost.
3. BSF is conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
4. The girl’s body was handed over to Bangladeshi authorities after her father identified her.
5. Reports suggest she may have been trying to cross into India illegally with a group.

Agartala, September 06: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday firmly refuted accusations from the Bangladesh government regarding the death of a 13-year-old girl, Shwarna Das, whose body was discovered near the Laitapura Border Outpost (BOP) in Tripura’s Unakoti district on September 1. Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally protested, claiming that BSF troopers shot the girl, who was from Juri upazila in Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh.

In response, a BSF spokesperson strongly denied the allegation, stating that during routine patrol, the girl’s body was found and the BSF immediately informed their counterparts, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). “On September 3, a Deputy Inspector General-level meeting between BSF and BGB took place, where details of the case were thoroughly explained,” the BSF official stated.

The BSF confirmed that an internal investigation is underway to determine the circumstances leading to the girl’s death, and the results of the probe are expected soon.

Following protocol, the body of the minor, which was found with bullet wounds, was handed over to BGB and Bangladeshi authorities by Tripura Police and BSF on September 3 after a post-mortem was conducted at a Kailashahar hospital. The girl’s father identified her body during the process.

Reports suggest that the girl was part of a group attempting to illegally cross from Bangladesh into India. Her body was discovered around 50 meters from the border fence, near pillar No. 57.

Sources indicate the possibility that the girl may have been shot by BGB troops while attempting to cross into Indian territory.

In recent months, over 300 Bangladesh nationals have been apprehended by Indian security forces for illegally crossing into Tripura, highlighting the ongoing challenges at the India-Bangladesh border.