New Delhi : The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has intensified their patrolling on the India-Nepal border to ensure safety and prevent the infiltration of jail escapees from Nepal.
Earlier today, SSB apprehended 35 inmates who escaped from various prisons in Nepal in recent days, officials said. Of these, 22 were caught along the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh, 10 in Bihar, and three in West Bengal. Officials, privy to the development, told ANI that these prisoners were held at different checkposts along the India-Nepal border.
According to the officials, the numbers are still rising as strict vigilance is maintained at all border entry points.
As per the officials, these arrests were made as part of SSB's heightened vigilance after reports emerged of mass prison breaks in Nepal, where several inmates escaped during recent unrest.
India's border guarding force, the SSB, has been put on alert to prevent fugitives from sneaking into Indian territory and using the porous border to evade law enforcement.
The SSB, which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for securing the 1,751-km-long Indo-Nepal border spread across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim. The force has been conducting strict identity checks, increased patrolling, and intensified intelligence gathering to trace the jail escapees.
Officials noted that while many of the apprehended individuals tried to cross into India without valid identification, alert personnel managed to intercept them before they could move deeper into Indian territory.
The detainees have been handed over to the police for further investigation and legal action. The SSB on Wednesday also apprehended five prisoners who had escaped from jails in Nepal and were attempting to cross into India. The prisoners were caught along the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district while attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory.
Thousands of prisoners reportedly were set free from jails in all 77 districts of Nepal during the violent anti-government protests, which forced Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday, leading to a serious law and order situation across districts, prompting the Nepal Army to impose restriction orders followed by curfew.
The SSB is vigilant since unrest following the 'Gen-Z' led protest across Nepal. Officials said the prisoners were held due to vigilance by SSB troops. However, the Nepalese Army has been deployed in and around the jail to prevent further escalation, as law enforcement struggles to maintain control in the capital.
This comes as the police reportedly withdrew from their post in Nepal, except for the Police headquarters. The prisoners threatened security personnel while breaking out. With convicts serving sentences for various crimes now at large.