67 Nepali prison escapees so far held at India-Nepal border

New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has so far apprehended 67 inmates, including a woman, while they were attempting to cross into India through various checkpoints along the India-Nepal border after fleeing different jails in Nepal amid the ongoing unrest in the Himalayan nation.
The woman inmate has been identified as Anjila Khatoon, who was arrested in the West Bengal area. She is the first woman inmate nabbed by the SSB personnel.
All the prisoners were caught from different checkposts along the India-Nepal border connecting India's Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal states, officials told ANI.
As per the officials, these prisoners were held when they failed to show any valid identity card to the SSB personnel deployed on the border between the two friendly countries.
The numbers may rise as strict vigilance is continued at all border entry points. The detainees have been handed over to police for further investigation and legal action, officials said.
According to officials, these arrests were made as part of SSB's heightened vigilance after reports emerged of mass prison breaks in Nepal, where several inmates escaped during recent unrest.
The crisis began after violent protests erupted in several Nepali towns, leading to incidents of arson, vandalism, and attacks on correctional facilities. Taking advantage of the turmoil, thousands of prisoners managed to flee from jails.
In response, India's border guarding force, SSB, stepped up surveillance, conducting stringent identity checks and monitoring vulnerable stretches of the open border. The paramilitary force has deployed additional personnel to ensure that no fugitive prisoner is able to slip into Indian territory.
Officials stated that while some escapees tried to disguise themselves as civilians crossing over for work or trade, the lack of valid identification exposed them. "The precautionary measures are meant to ensure that no escaped inmate can misuse the open border system between the two countries," an official deployed on the border said.
The SSB, which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is responsible for securing the 1,751-km-long Indo-Nepal border spread across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim. The force has been conducting strict identity checks, increasing patrolling, and intensifying intelligence gathering to trace the jail escapees.
Thousands of prisoners reportedly were set free from jails in all 77 districts of Nepal during the violent anti-government protests, which forced Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday, leading to a serious law and order situation across districts, prompting the Nepal Army to impose restriction orders followed by curfew.
The SSB is vigilant since unrest followed the 'Gen-'Z'-led protest across Nepal.
The India-Nepal border allows visa-free movement for citizens of both nations. With the situation in Nepal still tense, Indian security agencies remain on high alert. (ANI)