A Bangladeshi cattle trader was allegedly tortured to death by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) near the Birampur border of the district early Friday.
Phulbari-40 Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) confirmed the death yesterday morning.
The deceased was identified as Saiful Islam, 25, son of Nabiul Mondal, of Chaturpur village in Birampur upazila.
Saiful along with some other cattle traders crossed the Birampur border Thursday night, local people said. BSF men of Bhimpur camp caught him while others managed to escape.
Quoting the cattle traders, who could return to Bangladesh, Nazrul Islam, elder brother of Saiful, said BSF men had tortured his brother with sharp weapons.
Villagers informed him of the killing, Nazrul added.
The victim's family members informed local BGB of the matter Friday noon.
In connection with the incident, BGB, Phulbari-40 Battalion held a flag meeting with BSF of Bhimpur camp Friday afternoon when BGB claimed the body, sources said. But BSF denied the incident of torture and killing.
BSF later informed Rajab Ali, company commander of BGB, Bhaigarh camp of Birampur, that they had recovered a body from Lalpur, about 2km inside India from Bangladesh border.
Another flag meeting was held yesterday afternoon when SK Singh, company commander of BSF, Bhimpur camp said that on information BSF had gone to the spot, and following the recovery of the body they had sent it to Hili hospital for an autopsy.
Yesterday at about 7:10pm, BSF handed over the body to BGB.
Maj Tareque Iftekhar, acting commanding officer of Phulbari 40 Battalion confirmed the incident saying, "We have strongly protested the killing".
In a similar incident on December 17 last year, BSF gunned down two Bangladeshi cattle traders on Daudpur border of the upazila.
