Meghalaya: BSF personnel accused of assault and molestation in East Jaintia Hills

Guwahati: A woman in Wast Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya has accused Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of assaulting her family and even molesting her minor daughter.

The incident was reported from Kuliang village in East Jaintia Hills, a woman named Martina Pohshna has accused Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of violently assaulting her family and molesting her 15-year-old daughter.

The incident reportedly took place late Wednesday night at around 11:30 pm.

Martina Pohshna filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Police Patrol Post at Umkiang, detailing the alleged events.

According to Pohshna, three men claiming to be BSF personnel, who were not in uniform, forcefully entered her home by kicking down the door while the family was having dinner.

Pohshna claimed that these men attacked her husband, Shanroi Lyngdoh Lynkhoi, as he was washing his hands after eating.

Pohshna alleged that the same group returned on June 20 at around 12:30 am, this time with more than 15 individuals, and again assaulted her husband.

She claimed that her daughter was sexually molested, her phone was confiscated, and both she and her daughter were physically harmed when they tried to intervene.

"They threatened to shoot us and pointed their guns at us," Pohshna said.

The attackers reportedly warned her daughter they would "see her" when she came to Umkiang.

However, the BSF has lodged a counter-claim, accusing local villagers of facilitating the smuggling of goods from Bangladesh.

According to a BSF official, a group of 30-35 Bangladeshi smugglers, aided by Indian villagers, infiltrated Indian territory near the Kuliang Border Outpost (BOP) on June 19 at around 9 pm.

He stated that the BSF intercepted the group, leading to an altercation where villagers allegedly pelted stones at BSF personnel and used abusive language.

He claimed an Indian woman attacked a BSF soldier with an axe, injuring him, and another soldier was hurt by stone-throwing.