SSB patrol of 13 held, released by Nepal

Nepal on Sunday briefly detained 13 personnel of India’s paramilitary Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) who allegedly entered the country while chasing suspected smugglers near Jhapa district, bordering Bihar, before releasing them, according to news agency reports from Kathmandu. The action by Nepal is indicative of the sharp downslide in Indo-Nepalese relations.

Nepal’s APF personnel deployed at the border account post at Kechana Village in Jhapa district, bordering Bihar’s Kishanganj district, detained the SSB jawans at around 6.30 am, according to Nepal police sources. All 13 SSB personnel were later released after being briefly kept at the APF camp in Kechana. Assistant chief district officer D.P. Niraula said in Kathmandu they were handed over to the Indian side after an investigation into the incident. “They were quizzed on the reason for entering Nepal,” Mr Niraula was quoted as saying.