Nepal unrest: Security clampdown at India-Nepal border; SSB & police on ‘high alert’

Darjeeling: With Nepal on the boil, security forces on the Indian side are on high alert. To prevent spillover of the unrest, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) guarding the India Nepal border and Darjeeling district police have tightened security along the India-Nepal border. The Panitanki checkpoint, 27 km from Siliguri, has virtually been sealed off under a heavy security blanket, with round-the-clock patrolling and surveillance.

Fresh violence erupted across several Nepalese districts on Tuesday, a day after the capital Kathmandu witnessed pitched battles between demonstrators and police. In the face of mounting chaos, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli tendered his resignation along with many other Ministers. The former Prime Minister’s house was also set ablaze. According to reports, at least 19 people have been killed in police firing, while more than 250 have been injured in clashes. Reports also state that three policemen were lynched by the rioting mobs after they had surrendered on Tuesday evening. The protests, initially triggered by the government’s ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and X, have grown into a wider movement against alleged corruption and inequality under the Oli-led government. With the protests led largely by Gen Z—school and college students—the momentum shows little sign of ebbing. Authorities have imposed curfews in sensitive zones and deployed the Rapid Action Force along with the Army to restore order.

The unrest has prompted Indian security agencies to go on high alert. SSB jawans at Panitanki and Mechi Bridge checkpoints are meticulously recording details of all vehicles and individuals entering India from Nepal.

Sniffer dogs are also being used by the SSB. The SSB is on high alert.

Darjeeling district police, especially Khaprail police station, have intensified vigil in the border belt. Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Inspector General of Police, North Bengal visited the border areas. “Several violent incidents have been reported from across the border but no disturbances have been reported on the international border or on the Indian side of the border. However, we are alert and have increased manpower on this side of the border. Additional forces have been deployed from the police headquarters along with geared up intelligence machinery. We are working in close coordination with the SSB,” stated the IG, North Bengal. The India-Nepal border spans 1751 km and runs along 5 Indian states, including Uttarakhand (275 km), UP (551 km), Bihar (726 km), Bengal (100 km) and Sikkim (99 km.) It is an open border and guarded by the SSB.

The 100-km border in Bengal primarily features the Panitanki-Kakarvitta crossing in the Darjeeling border. Panitanki offers land port facilities and is a vital commercial point both for trade and transit along the Mechi River.

The border extends up to Sandakphu, at an altitude of 11930 ft along the Singhalila ridge.

However, the close proximity of the Panitanki-Kakarvitta border to the Siliguri corridor, popular as the Chicken Neck—a narrow strip of land connecting north east states with the Indian mainland, makes it a matter of grave concern.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on a visit to North Bengal has called for peace. “I urge the residents of the region bordering Nepal to maintain peace and avoid activities that create trouble because it is not our problem. Let normalcy prevail,” urged Banerjee. However, regarding stranded tourists, the Chief Minister stated: “We have no reports of any stranded tourists.”