On Monday (2nd September) morning, the Border Security Force (BSF) officials found the dead body of a minor Bangladeshi Hindu girl at the zero point of the India-Bangladesh international border near Kalerkhandi village in Kailashahar.
She had a bullet injury on her body. The minor victim has been identified as Swarna Das, a Bangladeshi Hindu who is said to be in the age range of 14-16 years.
As per reports, the minor girl was allegedly hit by a bullet fired by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Sunday night. The incident took place when she was attempting to flee Bangladesh along with her parents.
A 16 year old Bangladeshi Hindu girl Swarna Das was shot dead by Border Guard Bangladesh when she was trying to cross over to India along with her parents. pic.twitter.com/jcEp5bjqbG
— Sensei Kraken Zero (@YearOfTheKraken) September 3, 2024
They were trying to illegally cross the India-Bangladesh border to escape the ongoing religious persecution of Hindus in the Islamic nation.
The incident came to light on Monday morning when the BSF personnel spotted a body at the zero point. As per reports, the Bangladeshi authorities were unable to retrieve her body as the girl died within Indian territory.
Afterwards, BSF and Bangladeshi officials reached the spot and retrieved the body. Her body was then sent for post-mortem to Unakoti District Hospital in Kailashahar.
Body of Swarna Das found at zero point
According to sources, Swarna and her parents – Rebati Das (Parendra Das as per Bangladeshi media reports) and Rani Das had hired an agent to cross the border and enter Indian territory.
However, on Sunday night, when they were attempting to cross the border near pillar no-57, the BGB opened fire in which the minor was hit by a bullet.
Despite the bullet injury, Swarna ran a short distance before she died at the zero point. Her parents and others took shelter in a house in Lalarchak village to avoid getting hurt in the indiscriminate firing. They were later apprehended by the BGB.
In the pandemonium, they fell ill and are currently undergoing treatment at Moulvibazar District Hospital.
Bangladeshi media blames BSF
However, the Bangladeshi side has blamed BSF for her death alleging that the girl was killed by gunfire from the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at the Kulaura border in Moulvibazar.
The victim was the daughter of Parendra Das, a resident of Kalnigiri village in the West Juri Union of Juri Upazila. The minor was studying in the eighth grade at the local Nirod Bihar High School.
Her parents stated that they have four children and one of their sons has been living in Tripura, India, for a long time.
Religious persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh
It is pertinent to note that the cases of Bangladeshis illegally crossing Indian territory have surged after the violent protesters ousted the country’s elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
It is said that they are predominantly Hindus who are trying to flee Bangladesh to escape ongoing religious persecution of Hindus by mobs of BNP-Jamaat supporters.
Ground reports from Bangladesh have revealed the extent of atrocities being committed against the Hindus in the Islamic nation and how the persecuted Bangladeshi Hindus have been pleading with India to grant them visas.
They have lamented that they don’t want to live in fear, and if India doesn’t heed their request, they will cross the country’s border without visas.
