One killed, two injured in Nepal police firing near Bihar border

PATNA: An Indian citizen was killed and two others injured in a firing incident inside Nepal territory allegedly by Nepalese Armed Police Force personnel near the border with Bihar in Sitamarhi district on Friday. Another civilian has been reportedly detained by the police there.
The incident took place at Sarlahi around 8.40 am when some residents of Jankinagar in Sonbarsa had crossed the border to meet their relatives. Nepal APF personnel reportedly objected to their presence violating Covid-19 lockdown norms, which led to a heated argument between the two sides.
The situation took an ugly turn when some APF personnel reportedly thrashed one Lagan Rai (45) and dragged him to the nearby border outpost in Nepal. The others tried to free him which led to a scuffle leading to firing by APF personnel.
Sanjay Kumar, inspector general of Shashstra Seema Bal (SSB), Frontier headquarters, said the incident took place between Lalbandhi in Sitamarhi and Narayanpur in Nepal. “The site of occurrence is deep inside Nepal and not on the ‘no man’s land,” Kumar told TOI over phone. The incident took place at Sarlahi in Nepal.
He added, “Efforts are on to get the Indian citizen released from the custody of the police in Nepal. We have intensified patrolling in the area to ward of any untoward incidents. Senior officers from the district administration as well as the SSB are at the site.”
While Vikesh Kumar alias Vikas Rai (25) died at the spot, Udai Thakur (27) and Umesh Ram (20) suffered bullet injuries in their right hand and right thigh, respectively. The locals told police officials that Lagan’s daughter in-law is a resident of Nepal and those injured in the firing had gone to see her.
“We are in touch with our counterparts in Nepal to get the captive released at the earliest,” said Sitamarhi SP Anil Kumar, adding, that the incident was a fallout of local issues. Additional armed police forces have been deployed in the border areas as a precautionary measure.
Sitamarhi DM Abhilasha Kumari Sharma said, “We are keeping a close watch on the developments along the international border in the district.”
When contacted, Raj Aryal, DIG of Nepal police, termed the firing as “unfortunate” and said that the matter has already been reported to the government. When asked about the release of the Indian citizen, Aryan said, “We are awaiting directive from our seniors.”
He, however, hastened to add, “APF personnel fired in self-defence when a mob of around 50 people attacked them and tried to snatch their weapons. Whatever happened today shouldn’t happen.
On the other hand, JD(U) MP from Sitamarhi Sunil Kumar Pintu said such an incident has been reported for the first time on the India-Nepal border. “There have been reports of clashes between the Indian citizens and police in Nepal on earlier occasions. But firing by Nepal’s APF on people from Indian territory has been reported for the first time in recent history,” he told this newspaper over phone.
Meanwhile, tension is brewing among residents of Chandraman village under Chhauradano police station in East Champaran district and Sanfulwa under Bara district in Nepal following assault on one Narad Yadav (indian citizen) by the APF three days ago. On Thursday, a mob of residents assembled on the border to protest the incident. However, the protestors dispersed after intervention of SSB officers posted at Sanfulwa camp.
(With inputs from Shyam Kishore Singh in Sitamarhi and C B Pandey in Motihari)