Indian SSB troops detained by Nepalese force along border

The Armed Police Force (AFC) detained them at Kechana in Jhapa after the Indian personnel entered Nepal while chasing oil smugglers, The Kathmandu Post Times reported.

The squad was handed over to Nepal border guarding troops of Armed Police Force (APF) which brought them to their border post in Jhapa district of Nepal, they said.

Jhapa Chief District Officer Tej Prasad Poudel said they are trying to ascertain if SSB forces entered by mistake or was a premeditated one.

Smuggling of petrol and diesel has become rampant along the India-Nepal border ever since anti-constitution protests in Madhesi-populated areas since September led to an effective blockade of the border. “A border meet is on between the field commanders of the two sides”, SSB Director General B.D. Sharma told PTI here. They were first surrounded by villagers before Nepal’s APF personnel arrested them, sources in New Delhi said. Nepal had been saying that Indian security personnel had been entering Nepal to carry out operations that are detrimental to Nepali security.

India had last week hit out at Nepal for “shifting” blame of atrocities inside its “volatile” Sunsari district to the SSB.

Nepali security forces on Sunday arrested two Indian security personnel after they intruded into the Himalayan nation while chasing smugglers, a senior official said.

Police escorted the vandalised jeep across the border into India.

“They (SSB jawans) were quizzed on reason for entering Nepal”, Niraula added.

The SSB patrol team was on vigil in the area today as the force had seized about 1,500 litres of diesel being allegedly smuggled to the other side yesterday.

After having witnessed suspicious activity, the officials said, two SSB jawans followed the alleged smugglers after which the rest of the patrol party went in.