Indian national killed in police firing at India-Nepal border; one missing

According to HT's sister publication, Hindustan LIVE, Govinda Singh had gone to the border with two others -- Pappu Singh and Gurmeet Singh, while returning from a market. They got into an argument with the Nepal police which led to the clash and the subsequent firing.

An Indian national was killed in police firing at the Indo-Nepal border in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. The man, identified as Govinda Singh, succumbed to the injuries sustained after being shot by the Nepal police, said UP Police.

Following the incident, tension has increased in the area while police are monitoring the situation.

According to HT's sister publication, Hindustan LIVE, Govinda Singh had gone to the border with two others -- Pappu Singh and Gurmeet Singh, while returning from a market. They got into an argument with the Nepal police which led to the clash and the subsequent firing. The issue of the argument is not known yet.

One of them fled the spot to save his life and crossed into the Indian border, the other one is missing. "We have received information that three Indian nationals who had gone to Nepal had a confrontation with Nepal Police on some issue. One man has been shot and succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Another one crossed the border and entered the India side to save his life, while the third one is still missing," news agency ANI quoted Pilibhit Superintendent of Police Jai Prakash as saying.

Following the incident, tension has increased in the area while police are monitoring the situation. Force on the border is also on alert.

Smuggling of contraband is rampant across the India-Nepal border as smugglers rake in huge profits by evading customs duty and other taxes. In December last year, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) seized smuggled jackets from Nepal worth ₹8 lakh at Tanakpur in Champawat district along the international border. Prior to this, the SSB had seized smuggled cosmetics worth 1 crore rupees from the same border.

Smuggling of petroleum products including petrol and diesel from Nepal has also been rising as the fuel prices spike in India.