The Border Security Force (BSF) has firmly denied the Bangladesh government’s accusations regarding the death of a 13-year-old girl, Swarna Das, near the India-Bangladesh border. The BSF reported that its patrol team discovered the girl’s body on September 1 near the Laitapura Border Outpost (BOP) in Unakoti district, Tripura, during routine surveillance.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) lodged a formal complaint, claiming that the BSF had shot and killed the girl as she attempted to cross the border. In response, the BSF stated that the body was found with bullet wounds, but rejected any involvement in her death. A BSF spokesperson emphasized that they immediately informed their counterparts, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and explained the circumstances under which the body was discovered.
On September 3, a high-level meeting between the BSF and BGB officials was held to discuss the incident. The BSF assured the BGB that an internal investigation was underway and that the case would be thoroughly examined.
The girl’s body was handed over to Bangladesh authorities after a post-mortem was conducted at a hospital in Kailashahar. Her father identified the body, and the autopsy confirmed bullet wounds as the cause of death. Local sources suggest that Swarna Das was part of a group attempting to enter India illegally, and some reports indicate that she may have been shot by BGB forces during the crossing.
