A chilling case of alleged custodial torture and extra-judicial killing has surfaced from the Indo-Bangladesh border area in Cooch Behar district, West Bengal. The family of Jahanur Haque, a 24-year-old Muslim farmer and migrant labourer from Bhoram Payasti village, has accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of torturing and executing him in cold blood on the morning of April 3.
According to a formal complaint submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and local authorities, Haque was intercepted by BSF personnel near Border Pillar No. 929 while on his way to water his crops. Eyewitness accounts and a subsequent fact-finding report allege that he was forcibly stripped by BSF personnel to verify his religion, and upon confirming that he was Muslim, he was brutally assaulted.
Maktoob accessed the letter to NHRC, shared by Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM).
The accused officer, identified as Company Commander Balwant, allegedly pushed Haque to the ground, stood on his chest, and shot him in the lower torso. Another BSF jawan reportedly fired a second shot to the head, killing him on the spot.
Despite severe injuries, the body of Haque was reportedly left in the open for nearly six hours, during which BSF troops allegedly prevented villagers and family members from approaching. The local police from Dinhata Police Station arrived only around noon to recover the body, which was then sent to Dinhata Sub-Divisional Hospital, where he was declared dead.
Later, the remains were transferred to MJN Medical College, Cooch Behar, but the autopsy was delayed until the next day due to the reported unavailability of a medical examiner. Shockingly, the autopsy did not include an examination of the skull, despite a bullet wound above the right eyebrow, raising serious questions about possible evidence tampering or procedural negligence.
Allegations of Religious Profiling and Cover-up
The BSF has reportedly justified the killing by labelling Haque a smuggler, though no official investigation has been initiated to date. The local police have registered a case (Dinhata PS Case No. 174/2025) under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, but no action has been taken against the accused officers.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.