Tension on Indo-Nepal border

Nepali police opened fire, one Indian killed and three sustained gun injuries on border

SAGAR SURAJ@BNM

MOTIHARI: Nepal police opened many rounds of fire at Narayanpur- Lambandi border in Sitamarhi district killing an Indian peasant and injuring as many as three Indian people. The incident escalated tension on border after huge numbers of security officials of both the nation crowded either side of no-men’s land in Sitamarhi district in India and Sarlahi district in Nepal.

Given the long territorial dispute between both the nation in the locality, Nepal police is alleged to have arrested an Indian farmer, who later on identified as Lagan Ray son of Bashisht Ray, native of Lambandhi Janki Nagar under Piprapersai Panchayat falls under Sonbarsa district in Sitamarhi district.  

The farmer killed by the gun shot fired from Nepal side was identified as Vikesh Kumar Ray (25). Those injured were identified as Umesh Ram son of Vinod Ram, Uday Thakur son of Bindeshwari thakur and Bashisht Ray. All those injured in gun shot admitted in Sitamarhi’s private nursing home. Sitamarhi SP Anil Kumar however confirmed only three people received fire injuries including one death in the incident. Kumar said a squabble among Indian villagers and Nepal police led the incident.

Father of deceased Nageshwar Ray told to ‘Border News Mirror’ that they have an ancestral piece of land in Narayanpur village falls under Nepali territories under Jhapa district in Nepal. Our land is clinging no-men’s land of international border. He would cultivate their lands for the years without any hindrance from Nepal side.

On Friday morning, they were cultivating their lands in routine way when Nepal police indiscriminately began firing pointing on all of us. His son Vikash Ray died and those injured anyhow managed to cross the no-men’s land.

An official in Nepal police said that a group of people were trying to enter in to Nepali territories forcibly, they fired to drive them away in lockdown.

Said director General of Police (DGP) of Sashstra Seema Bal (SSB) Chandra, “we are ensuring safe release of Indian citizen from the clutches of Nepal police. It is owing to an altercation between Nepali police and an indian family. Nepali police fired not less than 15 rounds, he said. SSB is guarding 1751 km long indo-nepal border   

Twisting the cause of incident, a Nepali citizen and native of Kawahi Jabdi under Bariyarpur Nagarpalika in Bara district in Nepal Vijay Kumar Singh told that cause of action is not what is being shown by administrative officials of both the nations. As per his knowledge, police have to resort fire after smugglers were forcing them to provide passage to their contrabands in Nepali territories. The stands of Vijay was supported by an official in Nepali armed police in Malangwa-district headquarter of Sarlahi district in Nepal saying the Nepal police opened fire after some anti –social elements tried to snatch their guns.

Notably, in May this year, Nepali police in Jhapa district had opened fire on border. Then   Nepali officials had said that it was blank fire to push back nearly 150 Indians trying to cross border violating lock-down imposed in Nepal.