An alert has been issued along the India-Nepal border in view of the ongoing protests in Nepal, official sources told news agency. The death toll in the neighbouring country has risen to 19.
According to a report in Nepali daily Himalayan Times, the death toll in the protests has risen to 18, while more than 345 people have been injured in Nepal.
India’s border security force, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), has increased vigil and is keeping a close watch on the situation to prevent any spillover into Indian territory.
According to hospital authorities, at least 17 people have died in various hospitals in Kathmandu alone – 8 at the National Trauma Centre, 3 at Everest Hospital, 3 at Civil Hospital, 2 at Kathmandu Medical College and 1 at Tribhuvan Teaching Hospital.
Two protesters from Sunsari who were injured by bullets during demonstrations in Itahari also died, taking the countrywide death toll to 19. At least 347 injured protesters are being treated in hospitals across the country.
The injured include Generation Z protesters, security personnel and journalists, the report said.
“An alert has been sounded along the Indo-Nepal border in view of the protests in Nepal. The Sashastra Seema Bal is keeping a close watch on it,” officials told ANI.
According to officials, adequate deployment has been made along the border and strict checking has been put in place at several border checkpoints. Coordination with the local administration has also been enhanced to ensure smooth movement of people while maintaining security.
The over 1,751-km-long open Indo-Nepal border across states including Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim allows unrestricted movement of citizens of both countries. While this arrangement promotes closer socio-economic and cultural ties, it also requires tight security when there is political unrest or protests in Nepal.
In the past, border alerts have been issued during internal turmoil in Nepal, including the 2015 Madhesi protests that affected trade and cross-border movement.
One of India’s Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), the SSB, which has over 90,000 personnel, maintains a strict vigil and sends regular reports to the Home Ministry. Apart from border security, the SSB is also deployed in counter-terrorism and internal security duties in various parts of India when required.
The SSB is on alert after thousands of youths in Nepal on Monday staged a protest by storming the Parliament against the social media shutdown and alleged government corruption.
The Nepal government has blocked access to several social media platforms, including Facebook, claiming that social media users with fake IDs were spreading hate speech and fake news, and committing fraud and other crimes through some platforms.