Bangladeshi girl killed in BSF firing

A 16-year-old girl was shot dead allegedly by the Indian Border Security Force in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar on Monday night.

Swarna Das, daughter of Parendra Das of Kalnigarh village, was a student of class eight at Nirod Bihari High School in the upazila.

Several Bangladeshis attempted to illegally enter Indian territory when BSF shot dead one of them and took the body, said Nayek Obaid, patrol commander at Lalarchak Border Outpost of the Border Guard Bangladesh.

Binay Bhushan Roy, officer-in-charge of Kulaura Police Station, said bringing Swarna’s body back would require an official procedure involving authorities from both sides of the border.

Swarna’s grieving father Parendra said his daughter and wife attempted to cross the border to visit his eldest son, who lives in Tripura.

A couple from Chattogram and two locals who helped them walk across the border were in the group, he added.

When they approached the barbed wire fence around 9:00pm, BSF personnel opened fire, killing Swarna on the spot and injuring her mother and the couple, he added.

Locals said the couple from Chattogram was taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital with gunshot wounds.