NO ENTRY INTO NEPAL WITHOUT ID

NO ENTRY INTO NEPAL WITHOUT ID

10-MAY-ENG 12

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA------------------------------Nepal's Balen administration has imposed a new rule regarding Indian nationals. Specifically, entry into Nepal will no longer be granted without proper identification. Acting on orders from the Nepalese government, local authorities have made it mandatory for Indian citizens entering Nepal from India to present an identity card.

Furthermore, individuals entering India from Nepal are also required to produce an identity card. An Aadhaar card or any other valid government-issued identity card is accepted. The Nepalese administration became active in enforcing this regulation on Saturday.

Following the implementation of this new system, the India-Nepal border crossing at Jogbani witnessed a chaotic atmosphere throughout the day on Saturday. Due to rigorous checks of identity cards, long queues of vehicles and pedestrians formed at the border. As soon as the train arriving from Kolkata reached Jogbani station, a large number of passengers headed to the border crossing to enter Nepal. Personnel from the Nepal Police were granting entry into Nepal only after verifying identity cards. Those who did not possess a valid identity card were turned back.

Yuvraj Kattel, the Chief District Officer of Nepal, explicitly stated that presenting an identity card is mandatory for crossing the border. Meanwhile, a large number of people belonging to the Madhesi community reside in the approximately 17-kilometer border stretch of Nepal adjacent to Bahraich. Reports suggest that an atmosphere of tension prevails in Jamunha village—located within Nepalese territory—regarding this decision. Personnel from the Nepalese Armed Police Force are reportedly acting with excessive strictness under the guise of questioning and checking travelers, leading to growing resentment among the local population.

Separately, in light of reports regarding the infiltration of Chinese nationals across the Nepalese border, the police and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in the bordering districts have been placed on high alert. Police in North Bihar—including the districts of Bettiah, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, and Madhubani—have been directed to conduct regular inspections of all major hotels and lodges in their respective areas.

Three days ago, a Chinese national who had entered India via the Jogbani border in Araria was apprehended for traveling without valid documents. Following this incident, an alert was issued by the Police Headquarters.

The alert states that on May 4, Zhou Huan—a citizen of China's Hunan province—entered India riding a scooter bearing a Nepali registration number. He was intercepted by SSB personnel in the immediate vicinity of the border, and the local police subsequently subjected him to intensive interrogation.