Banke, March 5:

People in Jamunaha post along the Nepalgunj-Rupaidiya area of the Nepal-India border have formed groups to patrol during the nights to protect the area from dacoits.

A businessman of the Jamunaha, Pankaj Pari said, “Robberies are being reported even during the curfew time, so we decided to take care of our properties by ourselves.”

The incidences of robbery cases in the border areas have gone up after the Jamuna police post was attacked by the Maoists on January 20 and displaced from there, said local businessmen.

Gyanendra Mishra, a local businessman, said they were free of any worries when there was a police post but as soon as the post was displaced, he started keeping vigil during nights to ensure everything was alright.

Indian security personnel are doing regular checking and patrolling but the Nepali area has turned very unsafe. There is no security checking or patrolling, Mishra said.

Business activities have also gone down after the displacement of the police post, local businessmen said.