Nepali migrant workers, who returned home from India for the Dashain festival via Kakadbhitta border recently, complained of being harassed by the Indian security personnel and customs officials at Panitanki. 

 

They claimed that the Indian security personnel and the officials at the Panitanki Customs misbehaved with them as they were making their way to Nepal.

 

Meghraj Tamang, who was returned home from New Delhi, said he and other Nepalis were mistreated when they refused to pay the Indian security personnel and customs officials.  

 

“They were demanding IRs 50-500 from us. But when we refused to pay, they resorted to harassment. We face similar treatment at the border whenever we return home for the festivals. How long do we have to suffer such treatment?” Tamang said. Harassment and extortion of Nepali migrant workers at the Indian border areas is common during the festival season.

 

Only last week, the Post had ran a story on returning Nepali migrants being fleeced by Indian vehicle operators at Banbasa town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. 

 

Van operators in Banbasa were found charging exorbitant fare to Nepali passengers ahead of the Dashain festival, the time when there is a huge influx of migrant workers from different parts of India, travelling to Nepal through Gaddachauki border point in Kanchanpur. “The incidents of Indian security personnel harassing Nepalis crossing the border, customs officials demanding bribe and public vehicle operators demanding more than the going fare are common at most border crossings between India and Nepal,” said a businessman at Kakadbhitta. “Such incidents are only going to increase if the authorities continue to condone them.”