After Maoist threat, Indian vehicles not entering Nepal

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, September 29

Indian vehicles going to Nepal from the Banbasa border in Champawat district have been temporarily stopped by the Champawat police and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The step was taken after a Maoist student faction threatened to set vehicles on fire if the Indian Government did not stop aligning with the Madhesis who are opposing the provisions of the recently promulgated Nepalese Constitution.

“Not only have we stopped Indian vehicles going to Nepal, but also the Nepalese Police is not allowing vehicles to cross the border after Ram Bahadur Mehra, leader of the Biplav faction of United Maoist Party’s student union, threatened to set Indian vehicles ablaze if they enter Nepal,” said DS Kunwar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Champawat.

He said the police and SSB personnel had been ordered to allow private vehicles only up to pillar no. 7 at the Indo-Nepal border at Banbasa, which is at a safe point in Indian territory.

“We are in touch with Kanchanpur SSP Kishore Kumar Dahal and CDO Manohar Prasad Khanal, camping at Mahindra Nagar town of the district. If these Nepalese officials agree to give complete protection to Indian vehicles and citizens, only then will we allow our citizens to enter Nepal,” Kunwar said.

Reports received from the Udham Singh Nagar district stated that the police and the SSB had stopped Indian vehicles going to Nepal from the border posts of Simalghat, Narayannagar, Jhappujhala, Melaghat and Sisaiya at the Indo-Nepal border along the district after the student activists’ threat.