MAHOTTARI: Tension has gripped the Nepal-India border after the Indian Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) on Monday thrashed two Nepalis at Matihani VDC of Mahottari district, suspecting them to be Indian smugglers.

The SSB personnel stationed at Madhabpur of Bihar's Madhubani district near Nepali border had intercepted two Indian nationals who were smuggling cement into Nepal. Somehow, the smugglers managed to flee.

The Indian security personnel then entered the Nepali land while chasing them but ended up beating locals, Ganesh Chaudhary and Mahesh Mahato at around 3 pm yesterday.

Chaudhary and Mahato, who were with their families at Matihani- 7, were wrongly accused of being the same smugglers.

The duo were then whipped with sticks and thrashed with boots by the Indian security personnel inflicting them serious injuries.

Following the incident, the locals and the SSB are in a tense standoff at Matihani and Madhabpur.

Subsequently, the border point have remained shut since Monday afternoon.