KATHMANDU, Feb 7: Nepal–India border points will be closed for 48 hours prior to the election to the House of Representatives (HoR) scheduled for March 5.
The decision was taken at a DIG-level coordination meeting between the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal and India’s Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), held in Morang, according to APF spokesperson Bishnu Prasad Bhatta.
The agenda of the meeting included border security, information sharing, prevention of illegal entry of third-country nationals, control of human trafficking, fake currency circulation, and trans-border transportation of arms and drugs.
Stocks up a fraction in the first week of February
Both sides discussed the issues relating to protection of border pillars, facilitation of passenger movement, joint patrol, disaster rescue exercises, and the operation of mutual sports activities.
Similarly, the two forces agreed to assess potential risks along the border points, monitor the activities of refugees and migrants, and conduct regular multi-layered checks. Measures to ban and control possible infiltration by criminal elements as well as the distribution and consumption of alcohol products were also discussed.
Speaking at the meeting, DIG Kumar Neupane said that the border does not serve merely as a demarcation between the two countries but stands as a symbol of friendship. His Indian counterpart, Saroj Kumar Thakur, pledged to take further measures to strengthen Nepal–India border points in the coming days.
APF DIGs Anjani Kumar Pokhrel, Dipendra Shah, Krishna Dhakal and Manish Thapa, along with Indian DIGs Manjit Singh, Suresha Subramaniam, Rakesh Tikku and Manish Kumar attended the meeting.
RSS
