SSB officer among 6 hurt in violence on 'tense' Indo-Nepal border

Six people, including a company commander of the paramilitary force SSB, were injured today in cross-border stone-pelting along the Indo- Nepal border here in Lakhimpur Kheri which remained "tense" for the second day.

Hundreds of Nepalese citizens gathered at the disputed land on the border today and pelted stones at the SSB personnel and villagers.

"Three SSB personnel, including company commander T K Hans, were injured in fresh stone-pelting," said Commandant Dilbag Singh of the paramilitary force which guards the Indo- Nepal border.    Hans sustained injury in the eye.

"Three civilians of Basahi village were also injured and all were given medical treatment," the Commandant said.

This was the second consecutive day that stone-pelting took place in the area, where nine SSB jawans and few civilians were injured yesterday.

Nepalese citizens have been pelting stones after SSB jawans deployed at the location objected to permanent construction work on a disputed land near pillar No 200, officials say.

In New Delhi, Director General of SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) Archana Ramasundaram said, "The situation is tense today and a large number of Nepalese people have gathered on the spot again and resorted to shouting anti-India slogans and stone-pelting. Local officers and SSB officers are on the spot."

She said she was told by her force that there was no firing by SSB as has been alleged in some media reports, which claimed that one Nepali national had died in it.

"Our troops have told us that there has been no firing from their side but as the allegations are serious, I have ordered for a Court of Inquiry," she told PTI.

In view of the tension on the border, SSB DIG AK Das from Pilibhit sector headquarters visited the area and took stock of the situation.

DM Akashdeep, SP Manoj Kumar Jha, SDM Shadab Aslam besides commandant Dilbag Singh reached the spot to talk to their counterparts in Nepal to ease the tension.

Meanwhile, movement through the disputed land near Basahi remained suspended today after clash between Nepalese citizens and SSB yesterday.

Officials of both the countries have agreed to maintain status quo till a joint survey by officials of both countries is carried out to ascertain the exact status of pillar number 200, a senior official said here.

Tension on the border near pillar number 200 had started yesterday when Nepal municipal authorities started building a culvert, allegedly on no-man's land near Basahi village even though at an India-Nepal meeting a few days ago, it was decided that no construction work will take place at the disputed land till a joint survey is done, officials said.