Key Points

For the past three days, Mahendranagar - a Nepali town bordering Banbasa in Uttarakhand's Champawat district - has been under curfew. The Nepali Army, currently enforcing the restrictions with vigilance, allows locals limited access to essential goods during short windows in the morning and evening.

The impact of the curfew in Mahendranagar, located in Nepal’s Kanchanpur district, is clearly visible on the Indian side of the Banbasa border. Once bustling with daily cross-border movement, the international border now lies quiet—its usual hum of activity silenced, reminiscent of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under normal circumstances, the Banbasa International Border serves as a key legal crossing point for citizens of India, Nepal, and other nations. But with tensions still simmering across the border, Indian security agencies have halted vehicular movement entirely. Over the last three days, only those with essential needs have been allowed to cross on foot.

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), responsible for securing the India-Nepal border, is on high alert. Police forces across Champawat and nearby Udham Singh Nagar districts are also maintaining strict vigilance. A palpable sense of unease lingers along the border.

Inspector General of Police, Kumaon Range, Riddhim Agarwal, has personally inspected the security arrangements along the Nepal border near Banbasa and Khatima. Meanwhile, Commandant Manohar Lal of the SSB’s 57th Battalion is conducting continuous inspections of border posts to ensure stability and monitor evolving conditions.

Amid concerns over prisoners reportedly released from Nepali jails during the unrest, IG Agarwal emphasised the need for heightened surveillance. She directed all security agencies to maintain round-the-clock patrolling and ensure no anti-national elements exploit the current situation.

"With dense forests lining much of the open Indo-Nepal border, the forest department has also been put on alert. Coordination between forest rangers and security officials has been ramped up to prevent unauthorised crossings and bolster national security," Agarwal said.

- IANS