Parbat Portel

The country went into a weeklong lockdown from Tuesday 6am bringing all services except essential ones into a standstill. This move has hit Nepalis, mostly migrant workers and students, who had reached various Nepal-India border points from India amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, around 1,000 Nepalis stranded at the Gaurifanta border crossing in Kailali district since Monday evening, protested against the authorities.

According to the Kailali District Administration Office, the returnees were stopped at the crossing but allowed to enter the country after coordinating with the provincial government and Home Ministry.

In Panitanki border crossing in Kakarbhitta, Jhapa, around 170 Nepalis who have returned from India on Tuesday morning were allowed to enter the country in the evening.

Earlier in the day, they were allowed to cross the checkpoint on the Indian side of the border by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), India's border security force, after checking their identity card, the Nepali authority had not allowed them to enter Nepal.

“They were allowed to enter Nepal on Tuesday evening after coordinating with the Home Ministry,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Pokhrel of Area Police Office, Kakadvitta. “The health examination of all returnees was conducted and they will be sent to their respective districts where they will be kept in quarantine facilities.”

Around 100 Indian nationals stranded in the Nepali side of the border were also allowed to go to India, said police.Though Nepal sealed its borders with China and India from Monday at 10 am for a week, around 2,000 Nepalis entered through Panitanki crossing on Monday night. 

Published on: 24 March 2020 | The Kathmandu Post