Rajendra Nath

As Nepali migrant workers return home in hordes for the Dashain festival, police have beefed up security on the Nepal-India border in Nepalgunj.

The move follows daily reports of extortion of Nepalis returning home from India for the festivals.

Police said cases of extortion and loot have gone down this year as compared to last year.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of the Armed Police Force (APF), Naresh Poudel, said no incidents have taken place on the border so far, except for a case where six Nepalis returning home were looted after feeding them food laced with sedatives.

The District Police Office (DPO) has adopted a new security plan by keeping in view the upcoming festivals.

DSP Surya KC said that as part of the plan, all subordinate police units would be deployed 24 hours on the border to curb illegal and criminal activities.

The DPO said police personnel in civvies had been deployed to curb illegal and criminal activities during the festivals.

It added armed police personnel will be deployed in the main entry points and along the East-West highway for security of night and day passenger buses.

Incidents of extortions have decreased after the Nepal Police and the APF recently inspected the border, following complaints of extortions.

“Incidents of extortion are low as compared to the past,” said a trader working near the customs office.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Nepalis working in India have started returning home to celebrate the festivals. In charge of a local police post, Mahendra Rana, said more than 1,000 Nepalis return home through the main Jamunaha-Rupaidiha check point every day.

 Published on: 13 October 2012 | The Kathmandu Post