RAUTAHAT, JULY 5
Hundreds of people have been stranded on the Nepal-India border in Rautahat after the Indian side stopped people from crossing the border for the entire day today.
Indian Seema Surakshya Bal had stopped people from entering Nepal through the Miteri Bridge from this morning.
As a result, hundreds of people intending to cross over the border were left stranded.
According to Nepali security officials, the unexpected ban on cross-border movement came following a change of guard in the SSB at Bairganiya.
As per sources, a new commandant has come to take charge of the SSB at Bairganiya from today.
Apparently, the ban put hundreds of people from Nepal, who had gone to India to buy things and for other purposes, in problem. Similarly, many Indian nationals intending to return to India have also been stranded on the Nepali side of the border.
Among others, marriage parties heading to collect their brides by crossing the border or returning with their brides from across the border were also stranded.
Meanwhile, SSB personnel have reportedly beaten a Nepali national, who had protested the unexpected ban from the Indian side.
Local Jitendra Sah said things took an ugly turn after Nepali nationals, fed up with the hassles created by SSB personnel on the border for people returning to Nepal from India, had tried to stop Indian cargo trucks heading to Nepal.
Chief District Officer Indradev Yadav admitted that there were some issues at the border and said that talks were on to resume cross-border movement.
"I have talked with Sitamadhi's DM regarding this issue and officials at the Birgunj-based consul general. I have got assurance from the consul general that they would resolve the problem soon," CDO Yadav said.
Meanwhile, there was some ease in the cross border movement at the border later in the day today after SSB lifted the ban on condition that those crossing the border would follow all the COVID protocols strictly.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 6 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
