JANAKPURDHAM, Feb 11: Smugglers along the Nepal–India border continue to target Armed Police Force (APF) personnel, putting officers’ lives at risk.
Four years ago, three APF personnel were injured when an Indian smuggling gang attacked a patrol near Kanjabhojan, Dodhara Chandani Municipality–8, in October 2021.
Similarly, on July 19, 2020, APF personnel deployed at the Gauriganj Municipality–5 checkpoint in Jhapa came under attack by smugglers near Pillar No. 152 in Malhatoli, leaving two officers injured.
Two APF men injured in attack by Indian sand smugglers in Parsa
Earlier, on June 13, 2020, clashes erupted at the Narayanpur border in Sarlahi after the APF opened fire to stop smugglers from illegally entering Nepal, killing one Indian national and injuring three officers. Just days earlier, on May 31, 2020, APF personnel at the Phenhara checkpoint in Bishnu Rural Municipality–2, Sarlahi, were also attacked by a smuggling gang.
The latest confrontation occurred on Monday when the APF raided a warehouse in Adarshanagar, Birgunj Metropolitan City–10. The raid targeted a warehouse owned by Madan Prasad Gupta, which was suspected of storing illegally smuggled goods. A clash broke out while confiscated cloth worth over Rs 500,000 was being loaded. Three APF personnel sustained minor injuries, and a vehicle was damaged. No traders were present during the clash.
APF Deputy Spokesperson DSP Shailendra Thapa confirmed that the injured officers are receiving treatment at Narayani Hospital and are out of danger.
Parsa Police Chief SP Sudipraj Pathak said the attack also drew in some local residents, but the APF’s restraint prevented a major escalation. “Sometimes, human casualties occur during counterattacks. The attacking group is being tracked and will face legal action,” he said.
DSP Bikash Adhikari, stationed at Birgunj Customs, said the clash began when traders obstructed the APF during the inspection. The seized goods have been handed over to the Birgunj Customs Office. DSP Mohan Niraula, spokesperson for APF Battalion No. 13, Parsa, confirmed that suspects have been identified and legal proceedings are underway in coordination with the District Administration Office and the District Police Office.
Smugglers’ attacks on APF personnel have intensified in recent years. In August 2024, Deputy Inspector Laxman Prasad Yadav was killed in Siraha while trying to control an alcohol smuggling gang after a truck carrying smuggled goods ran him over. A year earlier, an APF inspector was fatally injured in Sarlahi while attempting to stop a truck transporting buffaloes.
The ongoing assaults underscore the dangerous and high-stakes environment APF personnel face while patrolling and securing Nepal’s porous southern border.
