Mar 18, 2017: CPIM sponsored 12-hour strike in Sabroom sub-division in South Tripura passed off peacefully. The strike was called by the ruling party demanding stern action against three BSF jawans of 31-Battilion who allegedly opened fire on tribal villagers and killed three including a woman on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, ADG of Union Home Ministry Kuldeep Dhatwala stated in a couple of tweets, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed regret on unfortunate firing at Tripura-Bangladesh BoP Bhagnamura yesterday, resulting three casualties. He tweeted, DG of BSF has been asked to submit a detailed inquiry report on the incident.
Ruling CPIM and its women wings held State wide protest rallies and demanded action against the accused for killing tribal villagers. Condemning the firing by BSF on villagers, CPIM termed the incident as an unprecedented barbarity by paramilitary force to hush up their crimes. Lodging strong protest against the killing, CPIM State Secretariat urged the State Government to initiate investigation and pay compensation to victims’ family members.
In strongly worded Facebook massage, MP Jitendra Chaudhury said, “KILLING OF THREE INNOCENT VILLAGERS AT CHITABARI. MOST INHUMANE AND BRUTALITY COMMITED BY THREE BSF JAWANS. CULPRITS MUST BE PUNISHED, WHO TURNISHED THE IMAGE OF THIS ELITE FORCE OF INDIA.
Three innocent and poor villagers, out of which one is woman, has been killed on BSF’s brutal firing, yesterday on 17th March at Chitabari, Sabroom, South Tripura District .The accused three BSF jawans has no point for their defence to justify their heinous act.”
In his FB Post, he added, “(1)The place of occurrence is more than two kilometers inside from the Indo-Bangla border. Normally, BSF does not have any authority to charge any body at this point, in absence of the local Police. (2)16 people, 3 of them are women were working in their farmland on the top of a hillock. They are all localites. (3) The stuff are still lying on the road. The deceased woman, who was shot first(according to the eye witnesses) was returning to her home after collecting the same. (4) Blood stain is still visible on the road, which is evidencing they were not hiding or running away. (5)The entire area is fenced by barbed wire, no reason for any kind of border crime.
This unpardonable crime commited by three jawans of 31 Bn. BSF of Bravo Company has to be taken into possible extent of exemplary punishment. Both Union and State Governments are to come forward for proper rehabilitation of the families of deceased and injured.”
It was also mentioned in Press release,”They encircled BSF party and attacked them with ‘dah’ and ‘lathi’s. Sensing their life in danger, BSF party fired in self-defence, in which three smugglers died. BSF personnel also sustained injuries during the scuffle. BSF party managed to seize ten cattle heads. An inquiry has been ordered by BSF to investigate the incident”.
However, villagers have an altogether different story to tell. According to villagers, slain Suralaxmi Tripura (31) was returning alone after finishing her works at a rubber garden. Seeing her alone, three BSF jawans of the 31-battalion attempted to molest and rape her. As she raised an alarm, villagers ran to rescue her. Sensing trouble, BSF jawans opened fire in which three villagers including Suralaxmi were killed and two other villager sustained injuries.
