Tensions on rise on Indo-nepal border

Instances of unprovoked firing on unsuspecting Indians by Nepal armed police force are on the rise.

Tension continues to mount along the Indo-nepal border and instances of unprovoked firing on unsuspecting Indian citizens are on the rise. The people on the Indian side living along the porous border have become apprehensive as instances of the Nepal armed police force resorting to unprovoked firing on Indians are on the rise.

In East Champaran in Chirokhar police station area along the Kharsalwa border, the Nepal armed police force indulged in firing in the air on Thursday. A woman from the Indian side had inadvertently ventured into the Nepali territory to cut grass for her cattle. She was mercilessly beaten up by the Nepali armed police force and subsequently admitted to a hospital in East Champaran.

The Nepali armed police force also indulged in firing in the air. The situation turned volatile as hundreds of people from both sides gathered in the no-man’s land. Subsequently, senior officials from East Champaran rushed to the spot to pacify the people from both sides.

A panchayat from both sides subsequently was called to deal with the situation.

The case does not stand in isolation. Just four days prior to this incident, another incident of firing by

Nepali police was reported from the Kishanganj area where an Indian identified as Jitender Singh had ventured into the no-man’s land in search of his cattle with three of his friends. He was fired upon by the Nepali armed police force and received bullet injuries on his shoulders. The incident took place near pillar number 152.

Last month, one person identified as Vikash Rai, was shot dead, while two others received bullet injuries and one person was abducted by the Nepali police on 12 June at Lal Bandi border in Sitamarhi district of Bihar.

Not only this, one person identified as Lagan Rai was abducted and tortured for almost 24 hours before being released by the Nepali armed police force. These incidents have now instilled a sense of fear among the people living along the border. For ages, there has known no differences between people of the two countries. But over the last two months, there has been much escalation in tension and the Nepali armed police force has been using bullets on unsuspecting Indians now. This has been unheard of to the people on either side of the border. In the recent past, there were also attempts on the part of Nepali armed police force to set up watch towers and also makeshift outposts well inside the Indian territory in the Raxaul area. The same was removed subsequent to the intervention of the Indian authorities. Nepal has been raking up the issue of border dispute at several places.

In Guwabari in East Champaran, the Nepali authorities did not allow Indian engineers to repair the embankment as flood control measures on the Lal Bakia river.

Since the lockdown in Nepal, there has been a complete ban on the entry of Indians into Nepali territory and those with relatives on the other side meet at the no-man’s land. Now, there is fear on the Indian side and the people feel Nepal is deliberately trying to close its doors on Indians at the behest of China.