Vigil increased along Indo-Nepal border in Bihar

The intelligence wing of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) said Indians attempting to cross the border might consume “paracetamol tablets to lower their temperature

An alert has been sounded in Bihar following a letter from the office of the Commandant of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that some Indians who may be infected with coronavirus might try to enter the country through the porous border with Nepal.

The administration has kept a tab on the activities on border through CCTVs, said West Champaran SP Nitasha Giriya. (HT Photo. Representative image)

Hindustan Times has seen the letter written by the commandant of 47th battalion of the SSB, Ramgarhwa, and addressed to the district magistrate of West Champaran and the Superintendent of police, Bettiah district.

Dated April 3, the letter said that a Nepal-based smuggler Jalim Mukhiya planned to “spread Corona pandemic in India”.

It said that the Indians attempting to cross the border might consume “paracetamol tablets to lower their temperature on the way and they may be corona positive”.

In a letter dated April 7, West Champaran district magistrate Kundan Kumar ordered officials to increase vigilance along the border, and informed the Bettiah and Bagha superintendents of police (SPs) and officials at the sub-divisional and block levels.

West Champaran SP Nitasha Giriya said that the administration has kept a tab on the activities on border through CCTVs.

“The border along Nepal is completely sealed and under the strict vigilance of district administration and SSB. There is no movement through Indo-Nepal border,” Bettiah SP Nitasha Gudiya said.

Priyavart Sharma, commandant of the 47th battalion, SSB said, “There were some inputs received sometime back and shared it with the authorities concerned.” He refused to divulge any further information.

Recently, Sitamarhi SP on April 6 also instructed the SHOs of Indo-Nepal border to identify areas where people easily cross the border after lockdown. The SP also directed them to set up barriers or fencing through wire on illegal crossing. In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, authorities had earlier sealed the Indo-Nepal border to ban entry of foreign nationals into Bihar.