Border Security Force (BSF) claims Malda youth inadvertently crossed into Bangladesh; family asserts coerced expulsion at boundary
=========================================================================
In a controversial incident, a migrant worker named Amir Sheikh from West Bengal was allegedly forcibly deported to Bangladesh by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Rajasthan police. The 20-year-old, hailing from Jalalpur village in Kaliachak, West Bengal, was working in Rajasthan when he was detained on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi immigrant[1][2][3].
The incident occurred in the district of Malda, West Bengal, and Amir was apprehended by BSF personnel when he allegedly attempted to re-enter India[4][5]. Despite providing identity documents such as his school leaving certificate and birth certificate, police did not accept his citizenship and allegedly tortured him physically[3].
Amir claims the police first took him to an unfamiliar area they asserted was the international border, where BSF personnel beat him and forced him across into Bangladesh under threat of shooting[3]. Social media videos showed Amir in Bangladesh visibly distressed, claiming he was pushed into Bangladesh against his will[2].
The BSF initially claimed that Amir "inadvertently" crossed the border and argued he was never "deported," a statement criticized by political representatives and his family as an attempt to cover up forcible deportation[4]. However, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam has written that they have all the evidence that shows Amir was deported and have a video Amir recorded from Bangladesh[6].
The controversy surrounding Amir Sheikh's case has drawn criticism from the Trinamool Congress, with the party vowing to legally prove that Amir was deported[7]. The hearing took place before the division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobroto Kumar Mitra at the Calcutta High Court, with the information about Amir presented by lawyers for the Centre during a hearing of a habeas corpus petition[8].
Amir Sheikh's relatives claimed they were unaware of his whereabouts until a video emerged on social media showing him in tears, narrating his ordeal from Bangladesh[9]. The BSF's report was presented during the hearing, and eventually, Amir was brought back to India after family and political intervention proved his Indian citizenship, including possession of a land deed dating back to 1971[1][5].
The Trinamool Congress has stated that the BJP is resorting to lies regarding the case[10]. As the case unfolds, it is crucial to ensure that justice is served, and the allegations of forcible deportation are thoroughly investigated.
References:
- NDTV
- The Indian Express
- The Quint
- The Hindu
- The Times of India
- The Telegraph
- The New Indian Express
- Live Law
- The Wire
- The Wire
- The controversy surrounding Amir Sheikh's case has sparked a general-news debate about the integrity of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Rajasthan police in handling migrant workers, with politicians demanding a thorough investigation into the allegations of forcible deportation.
- The incident involving Amir Sheikh, a migrant worker allegedly forcibly deported by the BSF and Rajasthan police, has raised concerns in the realm of crime-and-justice, as the Trinamool Congress and Amir's family demand accountability for the alleged physical torture and forced deportation, while the BSF denies these claims.
%20claims%20Malda%20youth%20inadvertently%20crossed%20into%20Bangladesh%3B%20family%20asserts%20coerced%20expulsion%20at%20boundary){kind=link}