Assault on B'deshi: BSF orders court martial against 8

The Border Security Force has ordered court martial proceedings against eight of its personnel after a video of their stripping, kicking and beating a Bangladeshi national along the India-Bangla border in West Bengal's Murshidabad district surfaced recently.

The personnel, according to BSF chief Utthan K Bansal, were found prima facie "guilty" after a court of inquiry was conducted into the incident, which took place early in January.

The personnel can present their defence during the court martial.

"The staff court of inquiry has been completed (in the incident). Now, we are ordering a court martial where the record of evidence will be taken. That is the procedure under the BSF Act. After that, the presiding officer will decide the level of punishment," said the BSF director general.

"Prima facie, they have been found guilty. Now the extent of the guilt and what defence they (eight jawans) have to put, all that is part of the court procedure and once we have that, we will further take action. The presiding officer will decide the punishment," he said.

A mobile phone captured the video that surfaced in January, showing the BSF troopers assaulting a 32-year-old Bangladeshi, identified as Abdul Sheikh, a resident of Abasia in Chapainawabganj.

He was allegedly smuggling cattle across the border when the BSF troops had intercepted him.

The eight personnel belong to the 105th battalion of the border guarding force and the incident took place in its Charmurasi boundary outpost in Murshidabad district.