Biratnagar, March 25:

Personnel of the Indian SSB border security force allegedly infiltrated into Sonapur of eastern Morang’s Bardanga-1 yesterday and created havoc among locals. The SSB men beat them up and also looted their valuables, claimed locals.

According to the victims, armed SSB forces infiltrated Nepalese territory nearly a kilometre north of the Nepal-India border. Four locals were injured and the SSB men also looted Rs 1,000 from a rice trader Chiranjibi Khatiwada of Sijuwa-8.

Khatiwada said the SSB men accosted him as he was about to buy 20 quintals of rice from a local, Salim Miyan. Khatiwada, truck driver Prem Ale, Salim Miyan and Albir Miyan suffered minor injuries in the fracas. They were taken captive by the SSB men, driven up to the border and released there after the SSB men snatched Rs 1,000 from them, he added.

DSP at the Morang District Police Office Rabindra Sharma said he had heard such an incident took place and added that it would be investigated.

The victims filed their complaints orally at the Sijuwa Area Police Office, which is nearly 17 km away from the incident site. Sub-inspector Netra Thapa said he had received the complaints but could not go to the incident site for investigation as it was located at a far-off place. Locals complained that such incidents have become common after the removal of five border police posts due to the agitation of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum.