Motihari/Patna: Indian security agencies have stepped up surveillance along the Bihar-Nepal frontier after a mass jailbreak in Nepal freed more than 14,000 prisoners, with authorities also uncovering instances of dual citizenship among border residents.
The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Bihar Police, working with national and Nepali counterparts, have launched a joint operation across the 1,751km open border. Identity documents of travellers are being checked rigorously, with a special focus on the 137km stretch in East Champaran.
Officials said additional forces had been deployed at police stations, outposts and SSB bases. Five police stations, seven operational posts and 23 SSB border camps are monitoring movement, while raids and checks extend into rural areas near the main Raxaul–Birgunj crossing.
Nepalese authorities said 14,043 inmates fled from 18 jails during the unrest, though 3,723 have been recaptured. Indian investigators meanwhile found individuals carrying both Aadhaar cards and Nepali citizenship certificates, prompting a wider probe.
Election officials admitted that dual citizenship cases were identified during voter list revisions in Raxaul, Sugauli, Dhaka and Narkatiya constituencies. District deputy election officer Sarfaraz Nawaz said verification is under way to confirm eligibility.
East Champaran SP Swarn Prabhat said Indian police were working closely with Nepal to trace escaped criminals, while district magistrate Saurabh Jorwal confirmed a coordination meeting would follow once stability returns. “There is strict vigil for border security and peace in the area,” he said.
