Three BD teens \\\'illegally\\\' detained in India

Three teenagers from Bangladesh are languishing in an Indian juvenile home, allegedly due to administrative laxity, despite a Juvenile Justice Board ordering their repatriation almost two months ago. The detained youths are Shyamal Das, son of Sujoy Das, Russell Islam, son of Mohammad Nazrul Islam, and Rubel Islam, son of Mohammad Debau Islam. They are all aged about 17 years and are from Thakurganj village in Nilphamari district. Taking a serious exception to administrative failure to repatriate them, a rights body has now moved the National Human Rights Commission seeking its intervention to reunite the boys with their families in Bangladesh. Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) said the teenagers had been illegally detained at Korak Home in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri after they were picked up by the police on April 28. According to the rights body’s fact-finding report, the teenagers were sleeping at the house of one Tauhidul Islam at Dangaparha village in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal on that day after letting off their cows to graze on the other side of the fence. ‘This is not very unique rather a common practice in this part of the country due to long standing affinity between the populace,’ the rights body said. ‘All of a sudden a green colour police vehicle came to the spot with seven personnel, of whom three personnel were in uniform. They were carrying riffles and sticks. ‘The boys were awaked from their sleep and then whisked away to Haldibari police station. The police lodged a case against the juvenile offenders,’ the rights body informed the NHRC. On Sept 29, the Juvenile Justice Board, Cooch Behar ordered their repatriation but no action was taken so far to execute the order, it said, according to bdnews24.com.