UP: Sonauli border reopens after four-day closure amid Nepal unrest; trucks with essentials allowed

Maharajganj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 12 (ANI): The Sonauli India-Nepal border in the Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh reopened on Friday after being closed for four days amid ongoing unrest in Nepal due to the widespread Gen Z protest in the country.
The reopening has allowed trucks carrying essential goods to cross over into Nepal, following days of suspension that left hundreds of truck drivers stranded on the Indian side.
During the closure, transporters faced significant losses as perishable goods such as onions, coconuts, and raw materials began to spoil. With tensions still high across parts of Nepal, many drivers expressed continued concern about safety while entering the country.
One truck driver named Vishnu, transporting coconuts from Tamil Nadu to Kathmandu, shared his experience, stating that he was stuck at the border for four days and hoped that the situation in the country would be "good".
"We were stuck here for four days. The borders opened here; hopefully it is all good even ahead in Kathmandu, Nepal... I am a little scared... We were struck here, but we had all the food and water," he said.
The border closure was a direct result of the violent Gen Z-led protests that have rocked Nepal in recent days, triggered by the government's social media ban and broader political instability and corruption in the country.
Amid a severe fuel shortage in Nepal, trucks are also now entering India from Nepal to purchase petrol and diesel.
A truck driver coming from Nepal said, "There is no fuel there. The Nepal government has sent us to India to buy fuel. All petrol pumps in Nepal are closed... I hope the situation improves and India-Nepal relations grow stronger."
"We are going to India after 8 days... There's no fuel available in Nepal," another driver added.
Meanwhile, 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.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the protests in the Kathmandu Valley has climbed to 34, as reported by The Himalayan Times, citing data released by the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal.
According to The Himalayan Times, over 1,368 people have been injured amid the protests across the country. (ANI)