The trial of a member of Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) for killing 15 year old Bangladeshi girl Felani began tuesday.
After a two-year-long delay, a special court in Cooch Behar of West Bengal started the trial of Amiya Ghosh, a BSF constable.
The paramilitary force set up a special court for the trial of Amiya, who, however, claimed “not guilty” during tuesday’s hearing, bdnews24.com reported.
A Bangladeshi team will travel to India on August 18 to testify at the special court. The team comprises Felani’s father and uncle, public prosecutor of Kurigram District Judge’s Court SM Abraham Lincoln and Lt Ziaul Haque Khaled of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) 45 Battalion.
Ghosh was charged under Section 304 (unintentional killing) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 146 of the BSF Act. A preliminary investigation found him guilty for the killing of Felani with his 5.56mm Insas rifle.
BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed expressed satisfaction over the initiation of the trial. He said: “This trial is the first of its kind and will be regarded as a milestone against border killings.”
The BSF has confirmed that the trial is expected be concluded by August 22, he said.
Felani’s father Nurul Islam said: “Everybody saw what they did to my daughter. I will say everything to the court. I hope those who killed my daughter will be hanged.”
Felani was shot while returning to Bangladesh with her father as her marriage had been settled with a local boy in Nageshwari in Kurigram, their village home. Nurul managed to cross the barbed wires with a ladder but Felani’s clothes got entangled in them.
The body of the girl hung from the barbed-wired fence for around five hours and she was alive reportedly for at least four hours after being shot. Local villagers reported hearing her screaming and she was asking for water before bleeding to death. Her body was handed over the next day and buried in the yard of her home.