Border Security Force (BSF) officials on Thursday strongly refuted Bangladesh government’s accusation on the killing of a 13-year-old girl, Shwarna Das, saying its troopers during a routine patrolling found the girl’s body on September 1 from near the Laitapura Border Outpost (BOP) in Tripura's Unakoti district.
Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, "The MoFA has lodged a formal protest with the Government of India on the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl named Shwarna Das from Juri upazila in Moulvibazar district, who was shot by the BSF on September 1."
Strongly denying Bangladesh's claims, a BSF spokesman said that immediately after the recovery of the body, they talked with their counterpart Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and apprised them in what condition it was found.
“On September 3, a Deputy Inspector General-level meeting between the BSF and BGB was held where BGB officials were again explained in detail in what condition the body of the girl was found,” the spokesperson told the media.
He added that as per routine procedure, the BSF is internally investigating the case and the probe is expected to be completed soon.
Tripura Police and the BSF on September 3 formally handed over the body of the minor girl found with bullet wounds to the BGB and Bangladesh Police authorities.
A police officer said that after the recovery of the body, a post-mortem was conducted at a hospital in Kailashahar, the headquarters of Unakoti district.
“After the autopsy, the girl's father from Bangladesh identified her body. We have handed over the body to BGB and Bangladesh Police,” the officer told the media.
Sources said the girl was part of a group of people which was trying to flee from Bangladesh and enter the Indian territory illegally on September 1.
The girl's body was found lying around 50-odd metres outside the border fence, close to the zero point near border pillar No. 57.
The teenager reportedly died from a bullet wound.
Some local media reports claimed that the girl was shot by BGB troopers when she was illegally entering the Indian territory.
In recent months, over 300 Bangladesh nationals who had illegally crossed the border have been arrested by various security agencies, including the BSF in Tripura.
Agartala MBB Airport gets new domestic air cargo terminal
The state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday inaugurated the domestic air cargo terminal here at Agartala MBB Airport and said that the airport will soon receive the tag of international airport.
Court sentences four Bihar residents to 10 years RI
Six years after four persons from Bihar were detained for smuggling 29.5 kg of cannabis from Agartala in the Humsafar Express, the Additional Sessions Judge Court, Dharmanagar, North District of Tripura, on Monday convicted them and sentenced them to ten years of rigorous imprisonment.
Pradyot calls for respect to traditional heads amid temple land dispute
Tipra Motha Party founder and royal scion, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, has urged the government to acknowledge and respect the authority of Samajpatis (traditional heads) and Chantai (priests) in matters concerning temple development projects.
29 Bangladeshi nationals, seven touts held in Tripura
The Border Security Force (BSF), Tripura, has enhanced vigil and intensified its domination along the international border and detained 29 Bangladeshi nationals and seven Indian touts in last four days.
J.P. Nadda holds meeting with Tripura BJP leaders; discusses party-related issues
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J.P. Nadda on Sunday held an important meeting with Tripura's state unit leaders including Chief Minister Manik Saha and discussed various party affairs.
One body recovered from Telangana tunnel on day 16 of rescue operation
Rescue workers on Sunday - the 16th day of the operation - pulled out the body of one of the eight missing persons from the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district after the cadaver dogs from Kerala identified the spot for presence of human remains under the rubble.
FM says GST rates to be reduced further, rationalised; Congress demands overhaul
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates will be reduced further as the process of rationalising tax slabs is nearing completion.
'Anti-incumbency is an issue of the past now': J.P. Nadda hails PM Modi's leadership in Tripura rally
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president J.P. Nadda on Sunday said that the political culture in India has changed after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, adding that people earlier used to talk about the anti-incumbency factor against the government.