‘Poorly trained troopers responsible for villagers’ killing’

LUCKNOW - Blaming the killing of two villagers Monday by Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) troopers manning the India-Nepal border on the the force’s “poorly trained” personnel, the Uttar Pradesh government urged the central government to improve its working and also sought a review of its powers.

“While it was entitled to keeping a close vigil on the activities of anti-national elements on India-Nepal border, it was also important for SSB personnel to ensure that rural folk were not harassed unnecessarily,” an official state government release said.

The SSB had been ensuring the task of keeping vigil on the 600 km border area along Uttar Pradesh-Nepal border in seven districts - Maharajganj, Sidharthnagar, Balarampur, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Pilibhit and Lakhimpur-Kheri.

However, in view of Monday’s incident, which led to killing of two villagers and left several injured in Trikolia vilage of Palia area in Lakhimpur-Kheri district, the state government urged the union home ministry to reconsider its earlier decision to give SSB the power for search, seizure and arrest along the stretch of Indo-Nepal border.

Earlier, conceding a request of the central government, Uttar Pradesh had delegated the power of search, seizure and arrest to SSB personnel Oct 10, 2007. But in view of widespread public resentment against the SSB personnel, the state government withdrew the powers on Aug 14, 2008.

However, the central government chose to go for amendments in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to re-impose its decision Feb 15 last year and invest the force with the powers.