Retrial in Felani murder likely to start after 4 months

Kurigram Correspondent: Retrial in the murder of Felani Khatun, a teenager who was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India on January 7, 2011 while crossing the border without valid documents, is likely to start today.

Earlier on November 22, 2014, the retrial was started at a special court set up at Koch Bihar BSF Sector Headquarters. Then, the acquitted lone accused of the case Amiya Ghosh became unconscious during the trial proceeding and the court adjourned the trial for four months.

The fresh trial is scheduled to be started from March 25 (Wednesday), according to the court`s decision. But it is not confirmed from any source of the court that it will resume the trial proceeding today.

Kurigram-45 BGB director Md Zakir Hossain has said that the BSF has not informed us anything in this regard though the retrial is scheduled to be started from March 25. Abraham Linkon, a public prosecutor of Kurigram court, also uttered the same voice.

Felani (15) was shot dead by the BSF at Anantapur border point in Kurigram’s Phulbarhi upazila while she was trying to climb over the barbed wire fence. She was on her way to Bangladesh with her father from Delhi where she used to work as a domestic help.

When her clothes entangled in the barbed wire, the BSF fired at her. Her body was left there for several hours.

A photo showing Felani hanging from the fence was widely circulated by the media, sparking protests among people and prompting international rights groups to demand justice.

 
Amidst protest and criticism, the BSF probed the incident and found one of its members to be involved.

On September 5 last year, the General Security Forces Court of the Indian BSF in West Bengal acquitted 181 battalion Constable Amiya Ghosh, the self-confessed killer, because of ‘inconclusive and insufficient’ evidence against him, the court said in its verdict.

Later, Felani’s father applied for retrial to Indian High Commissioner.

risingbd/Mar 25, 2015/Saikat /Aminul