At least 11 women and children were critically beaten up allegedly by BSF jawans as they put up a blockade to resist construction of barbed wire fence at Maluapara along the IndiaBangladesh border, under Bhimpur police station in Nadia on Wednesday afternoon.

The victims were taken to the Shaktinagar district hospital in Krishnagar where most of them were discharged after giving first aid.

The victims alleged that the BSF authorities have started erecting barbed wire fences at Maluapara violating existing high court orders. The Calcutta High Court in its order clearly instructed the concerned authorities to maintain the norm of 450 ft/ 150 yards from the Zero Point Line of the border while constructing barbed wire fences except in places where a graveyard, mosque or temple exists.

“But, the BSF authorities violating the court orders have started construction of a barbed wire fence along the site which is more than 500ft from the zero line of the border, keeping the villagers outside the fence in front of the Bangladesh land. If the fence is erected around 200 families of different communities will fall in danger as they will have to live outside the barbed wire fence on Indian land but in front of Bangladesh,” said a victim.

Local residents also said that they have submitted a deputation before the district magistrate two days ago and he has assured them no construction will take place without maintaining the norms and court orders.

Yesterday, when they watched the BSF authorities trying to erect barbed wire fences violating the norms, they put up a blockade on the construction site.

But, the BSF jawans deliberately resorted to a lathicharge on the women and children, said Manjila Bibi, a resident of Maluapara.

BSF spokesperson, reacting to the incident, said, “There has been no such beating as alleged by the locals. There had been protests by the villages there. The fencing work has been going on to upgrade it, which was done some 20 years back. They even objected to the fencing work some 10 days back and we called the local police, who intervened and work started again. After the protest yesterday, the BSF has lodged an FIR and the local administration has been informed. Right now work has been put on hold