Nepal detains, frees 13 SSB men

Nepali security forces on Sunday detained 13 Sashastra Seema Bal men for several hours after they allegedly crossed the border with arms. While an officer said the men, who were handed over to India later in the day, had crossed the border ‘inadvertently’, the SSB chief has ordered an inquiry. The incident comes four days after Nepal accused SSB personnel of firing at and injuring four Nepali citizens.

Nepali security forces on Sunday detained 13 personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) after they had allegedly crossed the border with arms, before releasing them several hours later.

“All the SSB personnel who had been detained for entering Nepal illegally with arms have been handed over to Indian side and we have begun investigations,” said assistant chief district officer Dambaru Prasad Niraula.

SSB officials said that the party had followed two jawans, identified as Constables Roshan and Ramprasad of the 12th SSB battalion, and had “inadvertently” crossed over into Khuntanmani village, following which the villagers surrounded them.

“Last night, our teams seized about 1,500 litres of diesel which was being smuggled from the same area on the border and hence the patrol party was on alert,” SSB inspector general (Operations) Deepak Kumar, at the force headquarter, said.

After having witnessed suspicious activity, the officials said, two SSB jawans followed the alleged smugglers after which the rest of the party went in.

The SSB personnel, four of whom were armed, were detained at an APF camp in Kechana for five hours.

Meanwhile, SSB chief BD Sharma told HT that he has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. “All 13 personnel had been freed and are back with their weapons and everything. We appreciate the cooperation extended by our counterparts on the Nepal side,” said Sharma here.

Agency reports also stated that a jeep bearing an Indian number plate was vandalized at Kanchanpur, with Nepali police escorting the vehicle back into India.

KATHMANDU: