BSF orders probe into 'stick-held ground roll' punishment by CO to jawan

New Delhi: The Border Security Force (BSF) has ordered an inquiry into an incident of a jawan being allegedly punished by a commanding officer by making him roll on the floor holding a walking stick at a camp in West Bengal, officials said.

The purported incident took place on September 1 after the Commandant of the 162nd battalion found the constable of the 3rd battalion in alleged breach of discipline.

Officials told PTI that the sector headquarter of the border guarding force located in Cooch Behar, West Bengal has ordered a staff court of inquiry (SCOI) into the incident.

According to the officials, the constable-rank jawan was subjected to "physical punishment" when he was asked to undertake a front roll on the floor holding a swagger stick (baton) on the directions of the Commandant or Commanding Officer (CO).

The incident took place at the battalion camp of the force in Roopnagar where the 162nd and the 3rd BSF battalion are housed jointly.

A BSF spokesperson said a CoI has been ordered into the incident and the facts of the case are being studied.

The single-officer inquiry panel has been asked to construct the sequence of events of the alleged incident and also suggest ways to prevent such incidents in the future, as per the sources.

The about 2.70-lakh personnel strong BSF is primarily tasked to guard Indian borders with Bangladesh on the east and Pakistan on the west apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.