Four including US couple apprehended by SSB at Indo-Nepal border: Official

Police said that during investigation, it was revealed that the couple from US had come to Jainagar to attend Chhath Puja festival

Four persons including a couple from US were apprehended by the 48th battalion of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Indo-Nepal border falling near Jainagar in Bihar’s Madhubani district on Saturday for allegedly attempting to cross into Nepal without proper travel documentation, an official said on Monday.

A case has been filed against both US nationals, and they have been formally arrested. (Representative file photo)

A senior SSB official of Frontier Headquarters, familiar with the matter said all four were identified. The married US couple reside in California.

Police said that during investigation, it was revealed that the couple from US had come to Jainagar to attend Chhath Puja festival. The couple were married in 2011 and the woman obtained US citizenship the same year after marriage.

The couple first arrived at Nepal via New Delhi on October 30 after which they reached Jainagar on November 4.

“On Saturday, the SSB personnel apprehended a Bolero jeep in which the couple were travelling and were on way to Dubahi-Mahinathpur after trying to cross the Indian border without valid travel documents. The SSB personnel also detained the driver and a man who came to see off the couple at the border,” said an SSB official, adding that the security forces handed over them to a local police station for further interrogation.

The SSB recovered the American passport and e-visa of Nepal from their possession.

SDPO Jainagar, Ankur Kumar told HT that all the four were jointly interrogated by the police and officials of other agencies concerned.

“A case has been filed against both US nationals, and they have been formally arrested. The two locals who assisted them have also been apprehended. The investigation into this matter is still ongoing,” added Ankur.