Tension has escalated along the India-Nepal border in Bihar's West Champaran district after the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) lodged an FIR against 150 to 200 unidentified residents of Nepal's Susta village for allegedly extending an earthen embankment into Indian territory and pelting stones at an SSB patrol.
The FIR was registered at Valmikinagar police station on the complaint of Assistant Commandant Avdhesh Kumar, Company Commander of the 21st Battalion, SSB, Rampurva. Police said an investigation into the incident is underway.
According to the complaint, the alleged incident took place on August 2 when an SSB patrol, led by Deputy Commandant (Operations) Vijay Kumar, was carrying out routine border surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations in the disputed Susta sector.
The FIR states that at around 2.15 p.m., the patrol reached the Indian side of the border near a tree in the Susta sector and found villagers allegedly extending an earthen embankment towards Indian territory.
According to the complaint, officials from Nepal's Armed Police Force (APF), the Bagaha Superintendent of Police and officers of the 21st Battalion SSB had held a joint patrol on July 31. During the meeting, both sides had agreed to maintain the status quo and refrain from carrying out embankment construction beyond the mutually agreed alignment.
The SSB has alleged that despite this understanding, the villagers resumed construction work and extended the embankment into Indian territory.
The complaint further alleges that while SSB personnel were discussing the issue with APF officials at the site, around 150 to 200 villagers from Susta gathered carrying sticks and stones.
According to the FIR, the crowd allegedly abused SSB personnel and became aggressive. As the patrol withdrew towards its border outpost to prevent the situation from escalating, the villagers allegedly began pelting stones at the security personnel.
Police have registered a case against unidentified persons from Susta village and said further investigation is in progress.
