Escaped Nepalese prisoners spur intelligence boost at India-Nepal border

NEW DELHI: Intelligence and security measures have been intensified along the India-Nepal border to prevent escaped prisoners from Nepal from sneaking into Indian territory, top officials said.

As part of the move, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards India’s 1,751-km-long border with Nepal, has strengthened checks at all entry points, and special focus is being laid on “verifying identity cards” of individuals crossing into India, as jail escapees from Nepal are unlikely to carry valid documents.

“All the 26 mutual trade routes, 15 traffic routes, six integrated check-posts, and 11 border check posts are on high alert,” an official said, adding that SSB’s intelligence wing is also actively monitoring border villages to prevent infiltration and curb the spread of misinformation.

Meanwhile, the alert SSB personnel apprehended five prisoners who had escaped from a jail in Nepal and were attempting to cross into India. The prisoners were caught along the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district while attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory. The escapees were intercepted by SSB personnel during a check at the border outpost and were immediately taken into custody. Subsequently, these prisoners were later handed over to the local police for further investigation and legal action.

Officials said the five were held as they could not show any valid identity proofs to the SSB troops deployed on the border. “During initial inquiry, it was found that they were among those prisoners who escaped from Nepal jail yesterday,” the official, requesting anonymity, told ANI.

Women personnel of SSB have also been deployed on several checkposts to handle situations in case of a sudden influx from Nepal, including men and women.

However, officials maintain that the situation is currently under control, and they emphasised that precautionary measures have been stepped up to deal with any potential crisis.

In a show of presence, the SSB has conducted multiple flag marches in districts such as Maharajganj, Sitamarhi, Raxaul, and Supaul.

“The force’s Cyber Wing, set up in 2021, is also monitoring social media platforms to counter fake news being spread by miscreants.”

Senior SSB officers, including those at the DIG level, are visiting sensitive stretches of the border as part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for heightened security situations.

“From September 6, we had already tightened security along the border. Now, strict vigil is in place,” an official said, clarifying that while the border has not been sealed, a “check-and-go” procedure is being implemented to prevent infiltration.

As Nepal continues to witness unrest and curfew in certain areas, officials on the border said that the country’s Armed Police Force has also restricted the movement of its citizens into India.

A large number of inmates escaped the Dillibazar jail in Nepal’s Kathmandu amid chaos during the ongoing anti-corruption protests. The SSB is vigilant since unrest following the ‘Gen-Z’ led protest across Nepal.

Officials said the prisoners were held due to vigilance by SSB troops. However, the Nepalese Army has been deployed in and around the jail to prevent further escalation, as law enforcement struggles to maintain control in the capital.

This comes as the police reportedly withdrew from their post in Nepal, except for the Police headquarters.

Authorities, however, had issued an alert along the India-Nepal border in view of ongoing protests in Nepal in September. SSB has intensified vigilance and is closely monitoring the situation to prevent any spillover of unrest into Indian territory. The officials emphasised that the current alert is “preventive in nature”, and the situation remains under control.

The open India-Nepal border, stretching over 1,751 km across states like Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Sikkim, allows unrestricted movement of citizens of both countries. While this arrangement fosters close socio-economic and cultural ties, it also requires heightened security whenever political unrest or protests erupt in Nepal.

In the past, border alerts have been issued during periods of internal turmoil in Nepal, including the 2015 Madhesi protests, which had affected trade and cross-border movement.

The SSB, one of India’s Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) with a strength of over 90,000 personnel, continues to keep strict surveillance, with reports being regularly sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The force is on alert following the protest by thousands of youths in Nepal, as they broke into parliament the day unrest started, and then there were incidents of arson and loot against a social media shutdown and alleged government corruption.

All started after Nepal government blocked access to several social media platforms, including Facebook, claiming social media users with fake IDs were spreading hate speech and fake news, and committing fraud and other crimes via some platforms. (ANI)