Cooch Behar, West Bengal – A disturbing case of alleged custodial torture and extra-judicial killing has emerged from the Indo-Bangladesh border, where 24-year-old Jahanur Haque, a Muslim farmer and migrant labourer from Bhoram Payasti village, was shot dead by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on April 3. The incident has sparked outrage, with the family and rights groups alleging religious profiling and cold-blooded execution, reported the Maktoob Media.
According to a complaint filed with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and local authorities, Haque was intercepted near Border Pillar No. 929 while on his way to water his crops. Eyewitness accounts and a fact-finding report accessed by Maktoob reveal that BSF personnel forcibly stripped Haque to verify his religion. Upon identifying him as Muslim, they allegedly subjected him to brutal physical assault.
The accused officer, identified as Company Commander Balwant, allegedly pushed Haque to the ground, pressed his chest with his boot, and fired a shot into his lower torso. A second BSF jawan reportedly shot Haque in the head, killing him instantly. The family claims his body was left unattended for nearly six hours, with BSF soldiers preventing villagers and family members from approaching.
Local police from Dinhata Police Station reached the site around noon and sent the body to Dinhata Sub-Divisional Hospital, where he was declared dead. The remains were later transferred to MJN Medical College, Cooch Behar, but the post-mortem was delayed until the following day due to the unavailability of a medical examiner. Shockingly, despite a visible bullet wound above the right eyebrow, the autopsy did not include a skull examination, raising concerns of possible tampering and negligence.
Despite these serious allegations, no arrests or suspensions have been made. The BSF reportedly claimed Haque was a smuggler, but no official inquiry has been launched. Police registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Dinhata PS Case No. 174/2025), and an Unnatural Death case (No. 40/2025) was also filed, but there has been no progress or accountability.
Haque’s mother, Rina Bibi, filed a written complaint the same day, but says the family—earning just ₹4,000 per month—has been left to suffer without legal support or updates. A visit by the Block Development Officer of Dinhata-I for an inquest yielded no public findings.
The incident highlights growing concerns over the unchecked powers of BSF personnel in border areas and the vulnerability of marginalized communities, especially Muslims, to state violence.
